A 5-year-old Indiana boy who fatally shot his baby brother was reportedly high on cocaine at the time of the shooting. Medical examiners also found marijuana in the victim’s system, prosecutors said per the NY Post.
The boys’ parents, Deonta Jermaine Johnson, 27, and Shatia Tiara Welch, 24 were hit with additional charges for neglect and drugs, Tuesday. Police obtained
“93 fentanyl pills as well as marijuana and drug paraphernalia”
inside the couple’s apartment.
Their 16-month-old son died from a gunshot wound to the head after his older brother retrieved a loose gun from the residence. Johnson told police he was napping on the couch and
“heard a boom”
sound before discovering his 16-month-old boy dead, according to a probable cause affidavit. The mother admitted that the firearm was hers but said she usually kept it in a locked box under her bed.
Prosecutors revealed that the deceased toddler had marijuana in his system, along with his brother who also tested positive for cocaine.
Johnson was also charged with
“obstruction of justice”
for allegedly attempting to scrub the apartment of weed before police arrived, according to the outlet. Welch was also brought up on charges four weeks before the fatal shooting, for
“possessing and dealing narcotics and marijuana,”
which is reportedly illegal for medical and recreational use in Indiana, court records reveal.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
