Five-year-old who fatally shot baby brother was high on cocaine while infant had marijuana in system, prosecutors say

US

A five-year-old boy who fatally shot his baby brother in the US was high on cocaine while the toddler had marijuana in his system, according to prosecutors.

Sixteen-month-old Isiah Johnson died from a gunshot wound to his head on 28 March in Lafayette about 60 miles north of Indianapolis, after his brother found a handgun in the family’s apartment, prosecutors said.

They added that Isiah had marijuana in his blood and his brother tested positive for cocaine.

After the shooting, police found 93 fentanyl pills, marijuana and paraphernalia inside the apartment, they added.

Prosecutors have filed neglect and drug charges against parents Deonta Jermaine Johnson, 27, and Shatia Tiara Welch, 24, of Lafayette.

The charges were unsealed on Tuesday following their arrests the day before in LaPorte, news outlets reported.

Johnson was asleep inside the apartment at the time of the shooting, authorities have said while Welch was not present.

Welch told police she owns the gun, but she usually kept it locked in a box under her bed.

Read more:
Five dead and two children injured in Philadelphia shooting
Two shot dead in New Zealand hours before Women’s World Cup kicks off
Winnie The Pooh characters used in US school district’s mass shootings safety book

Johnson also faces a charge of obstruction of justice for removing marijuana from the apartment before police arrived after the shooting, prosecutors said.

Online court records did not list attorneys for Johnson and Welch who might comment on the allegations against them.

Articles You May Like

Russia accused of escalating hybrid attacks in Europe after telecoms cables cut
Climate-vulnerable islands storm out of COP29 negotiation room in row over funding
Key proponent of Trump’s false election claims set to head justice department after Gaetz withdrawal
FTX co-founder Gary Wang avoids prison time for role in crypto fraud
One of our lagging stocks has found its stride and is outperforming its peers