Michigan Mother Sentenced After Tragic Shooting of 5-Year-Old Son

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A Michigan mother, Halisa Lloydnette-Christine Brown, 25, was sentenced to six months in prison after her unsupervised 5-year-old son, Sturlin Minion Jr., accidentally shot himself in the face with a loaded gun. The tragic incident occurred on December 9th in the family's Detroit apartment as the young boy played with the firearm, which was left on a dresser, while jumping on a bed in front of his four siblings.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Brown's sentencing on Friday, following her guilty plea in July to involuntary manslaughter. Brown and the boy's father, Sturlin Markese Minion Sr., 33, were both charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree child abuse, and firearm violations. Additionally, Minion Sr. faced charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm. His sentencing is scheduled for September 20th.
On the day of the incident, Detroit police were dispatched at 1:24 p.m. to the apartment complex on Greenfield Road after reports of a shooting. Officers found the child with a gunshot wound to the face, and despite being rushed to the hospital, he tragically succumbed to his injuries. The parents were arrested shortly after, and their four other children, ranging in age from 8 to 4, were placed under the care of Children’s Protective Services.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy expressed her frustration and sorrow over the preventable nature of the incident. "How many more children must die? It takes mere minutes to store a gun safely. Is a child’s death not worth minutes of one’s time?" she questioned in a statement.
Detroit Police Chief James White condemned the negligence that led to the child's death, calling the act "completely ridiculous, irresponsible, stupid, and unnecessary." He emphasized the tragic frequency of such incidents and the preventable loss of life, particularly so close to the holiday season.
Brown, defending herself in an interview, claimed that the shooting was an "honest mistake" and insisted she is not a neglectful mother. "I'm not a bad mother. I’m not an unfit mother. It was an honest mistake that I’m going to regret for the rest of my life," she stated.
The boy's aunt, Silver Minion, expressed the family's grief on a GoFundMe page, describing Sturlin Jr. as an "amazing, adventurous, handsome" child who was deeply loved by his siblings and family.
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