JAMARA STEVENS - 11 yo (4-2014) - / Shooter: 2 yo brother - Philadelphia, PA

11-Year-Old Girl Accidentally Killed By Her 2-Year-Old Brother

17 hours ago





It's heartbreaking anytime you hear of a child being shot and killed. Though the death of 11-year-old Jamara Stevens is especially devastating to hear about. The reason? She was murdered by her 2-year-old brother.

On Saturday, the children were playing in a bedroom unsupervised and the toddler picked up the cocked gun, pointed it at his sister and fired. The bullet hit Jamara in the arm, but traveled through her chest and ultimately struck her heart. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

At first, investigators were unsure of what had happened. They knew that four kids (ages 2, 7, 11, and 14) were in the home, but they were unsure who did the shooting. Then the little boy was found with a burn and traces of gun powder on his arm.

Police believe that the mother's boyfriend brought the gun over.  The children reportedly got their hands on it when the mother went to the bathroom. So far, no charges have been filed. Such a tragedy.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/170765/11yearold_girl_accidentally_killed_by

Boy, 2, shoots and kills sister, 11, as four siblings played with cocked .357 caliber handgun

(screen shot/NBC10)

on April 07, 2014 at 7:04 AM


The mother's boyfriend had brought the gun to the house and stashed it on top of a refrigerator. 

Somehow, it ended up in the bedroom. From there, the four kids got a hold of it and treated the .357 caliber handgun with an 8-inch barrel as a toy.

And then, the gun fired while it was in the hands of the youngest sibling, a 2-year-old boy, on Saturday.

The accidental round struck and killed his sister, Jamara Stevens, 11.

While playing with the weapon, the 2-year-old boy pointed the loaded, cocked gun in the direction of his 11-year-old sister and it discharged, authorities said.

Investigators said the bullet struck the girl's arm then traveled through her chest, hitting her heart. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The senseless accident happened in Philadelphia, while the mother of the four kids was just down the hall in the bathroom, police said. She is identified as Tiffany Goldwire in press reports.

In all, four kids in the house played with the gun, including a 14-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl, according to published reports.
No charges have been filed in the incident.


Background according to The Business Standard: This is the latest incident involving children who accidentally shoot someone or die of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In October last year, a babysitter in Vidor, Texas, was charged after a 5-year-old toddler she was looking after fatally shot himself with her gun, police said.

Two weeks earlier, a 2-year-old girl fatally shot herself in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the toddler's father faced involuntary manslaughter charges.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/04/boy_2_shoots_and_kills_sister.html

I don't understand the "no charges" against whoever left a loaded gun where children could get to it. Obviously the two year old didn't get it off of the refrigerator and a 14 year old should be old enough to know better. What a terrible tragedy this is and I only hope the toddler doesn't grow up with guilt over this - it wasn't his fault.   

I agree.  Hope they continue to investigate and make an arrest.  This is criminal.