ADONIS GRIMES - 5 yo - Columbia (2010) (NW of Charleston) SC

A 24-year-old South Carolina man has been charged with homicide by
child abuse after police say a loaded gun he had been carrying was
picked up by a toddler, who shot another child.Richland County
sheriff's spokeswoman Monique Mack told multiple media outlets Sunday
that Waddell McGhee was being held in the death of 5-year-old Adonis
Grimes. Jail records did not indicate whether McGhee had an attorney.Adonis
was outside a home on Friday with a 3-year-old cousin and McGhee, who
is the uncle of both boys.Mack said a gun fell from McGhee's
pocket and was picked up by the younger child who pulled the trigger.
Adonis was taken to Palmetto Health Richland where he died late Friday.Investigators
said McGhee is a convicted felon and should not have had a gun.

On Thursday, Waddell McGhee, 24, told his ex-girlfriend, “I’m
going to show you,” set fire to her bedroom and then ran away, according
to warrants charging him with arson and criminal domestic violence.On
Friday, McGhee is accused of setting off a chain of events that
resulted in a 3-year-old boy shooting and killing a 5-year-old boy,
Richland County sheriff’s deputies said.Both boys were McGhee’s
nephews. They were first cousins attending a family gathering Friday
evening.


The shooting took place on the front lawn of a dwelling at 1028
Rockymount Road just north of Columbia.Somehow, a loaded gun
McGhee was carrying fell out of his pants and dropped to the ground,
according to Richland County sheriff’s spokeswoman Monique Mack.
McGhee’s 3-year-old nephew picked it up, Mack said .The
3-year-old then pointed the gun at Adonis Grimes, 5, and pulled the
trigger, Mack said.The gun went off and the bullet struck little
Adonis in the back.His family rushed him to Palmetto Health
Richland, where he “died while receiving medical attention,” according
to a warrant in the case.McGhee fled again, only to turn himself
in to sheriff’s deputies at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.At the jail,
McGhee got into some kind of verbal altercation in the magistrate’s
courtroom. At that time, he was charged with contempt of magistrate’s
court. Details were not available.In addition to arson, criminal
domestic violence and contempt charges, McGhee now faces homicide by
child abuse charges, Mack said.Facts about the shooting were
sketchy. It is not known whether police are basing their homicide by
child abuse case on eyewitness testimony alone or whether they did a
gunshot residue test on the 3-year-old’s hands that would scientifically
prove he fired the gun. Police did not reveal the type of handgun that
killed the little boy.As a convicted felon — McGhee was convicted
of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature some years ago,
said Mack — he is forbidden to possess a handgun.That means he
likely will face additional charges for being a convicted felon with a
handgun. Penalties for this charge are so severe it could mean that
McGhee might spent a substantial part of the rest of his life behind
bars.McGhee’s address is listed as 116 Lindevon Lane in the
Dentsville community just north of Two Notch Road.Already,
homicide by child abuse carries a 20 years to life sentence.

Columbia SC ---- Bond has been set at $100,000 for a man that
police say dropped a gun, leading to a fatal shooting involving two
toddlers.

Waddell McGhee, 24, appeared in a Richland County court Monday.
McGhee is accused of dropping a gun that police say his 3-year-old
nephew picked up and used to shoot McGhee's 5-year-old relative, Adonis
Grimes.

McGhee had a separate bond of $30,000 on an unrelated arson charge.

Roy Bayman, was in court speaking on the Grimes's behalf Monday.
Bayman also defended his son, McGhee.

"Accidents do happen," said Bayman.
"What about mothers who leave their kids in the car with the windows
rolled up in 90 degree weather? It was an accident."

Bayman is defending his son, 24-year-old Waddell McGhee who is
charged with homicide by child abuse.

Bayman and the defense says McGhee should be home right now with
his six kids, not behind bars.

"My son would serve himself better, serve the family better being at
home your honor,"said Bayman.

"He's not gonna be a danger to anyone,"said McGhee's attorney.
Circuit Court Judge Thomas Cooper responded saying, "unless he (McGhee)
gets a gun."

Prosecutors say McGhee has a long rap sheet that includes domestic
violence, assault and battery with intent to kill and drug and gun
charges.

Investigators say McGhee is also facing arson charges for setting his
girlfriend's room on fire a day before the shooting that killed his
nephew.

"I don't know my son to be a violent man,"said Bayman. He's
academically challenged and a lot of times kids like that tend to get in
trouble. Am I blaming the education system? No."

As of late Monday afternoon, McGhee had not paid his bond.

How did this low life with a rap sheet that includes violence and drugs manage to have 6 children by the time he was 24 years old? He should have been behind bars. It's out of control. His father's a tosser too so we can see where the problem began.

Man Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Child's Death


11:31 PM, May 16, 2011


Columbia, SC (WLTX) - A Richland County judge sentenced a man to prison Monday in connection with the death of a five-year-old boy.
Waddell McGhee was given 20 years in prison on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the detah of Adonis Grimes. That sentence was suspended down to 10 years.
He was also given 30 days in prison on a criminal domestic violence charge.
McGhee dropped a gun in 2010 that his three-year-old nephew picked up and used to shoot Grimes.
http://www.wltx.com/news/article/136858/2/Man-Sentenced-to-Prison-in-Connection-with-Childs-Death