DETROIT (WXYZ) — A Detroit mother has been charged with unsafe storage of a weapon after her six-year-old daughter was accidentally shot and killed in a car in Detroit earlier this week.
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According to police, the child's mother came to a plaza in the area of Gratiot and Harper avenues around noon on Monday, March 2, to get food.
We're told the mother went inside and left five children in the car unattended. While they were in the car, the child was shot with the unsecured gun by her 11-year-old brother. Detroit police say the children are all 12 years old and younger.
Tonya Charisse-Annie Johnson, 41, has been charged with:
- Firearms — Safe Storage Violations — Premises Under Individual's Control — Minor Present and Inflicted Death upon Self or Another
- Three counts of Second-Degree Child Abuse
- Four counts of Felony Firearm
She is expected to appear in court again later this afternoon.
“The alleged facts of this case are among the worst child safe storage cases that we have seen. This will affect these children forever. The loss of the life of one of their siblings in a closed compartment of the defendant’s car cannot be unseen,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
