An Indiana mother was seen sobbing in court after her toddler son grabbed a gun from her purse and fatally shot himself in front of his sister.
Keiara Bickett, 28, was charged with neglect after her two-year-old son Javarius fired the weapon at his face in a CVS parking lot on June 19.
She has also been court-ordered to stay away from her eight-year-old daughter, who witnessed the horrifying accident.
Javarius was sitting in the backseat while his mother and sister were in the front.
Bickett’s unzipped bag was reportedly placed on the vehicle’s center console, making it easy for Javarius to access and take her 9mm Glock Model 26 Gen 5 handgun.
‘It was purely accidental. While there may have been negligence for not securing the gun properly, she would never intentionally hurt any of her kids,’ said Melissa Etheridge, Bickett’s mother, in an interview with WTHR.
‘She loves her kids to death. It’s tearing me up. It’s tearing her daughter up.’
She told investigators that when she started driving, Javarius was in his car seat but he was not wearing his seatbelt, WTHR reported.
Keiara Bickett (pictured), 28, faced neglect charges after her two-year-old son, Javarius Bickett, accidentally discharged the firearm in a CVS parking lot on June 19.
Javarius (left) was sitting in the backseat while his mother (right) and sister were in the front
Police recovered the weapon and a loaded magazine from the floor on the driver’s side (pictured: police responding to the scene)
Police said she stopped at a gas station before going to CVS to pick up a prescription.
When she arrived at the pharmacy, she tried going through the drive-thru, but it was closed.
She allegedly was texting while trying to park to go inside the store, which is when she said she realized Javarius had gotten out of his car seat.
While she was preoccupied with her phone and trying to park, she heard the gun go off. Bickett asserted she did not see her child with the gun.
But Javarius’ sister told investigators she and her mother were holding him while the car was moving.
The toddler allegedly climbed into the front passenger seat and sat on his sister’s lap at one point.
According to court documents reviewed by WTHR, the shocked child mentioned she was on her phone playing a game and only became aware of the situation when she heard a ‘loud noise.’
She then saw her little brother fall to the floor.
Melissa Etheridge (pictured) was granted custody of her granddaughter at least until Bickett’s next court date
The Indianapolis mother dialed 911 after Javarius (pictured) shot himself. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital
The Indianapolis mother dialed 911 after Javarius shot himself. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Police recovered the weapon and a loaded magazine from the floor on the driver’s side.
Detectives noted that the spent bullet was found on the passenger’s side.
The grieving mother was arrested on August 21 and is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a level one felony.
She could face 20 to 40 years in prison if she is found guilty.
‘I know she should have punishment for what happened, but that’s just too much,’ Etheridge told WTHR.
Bickett posted her $50,000 surety bond and appeared in court on Friday, where the judge temporarily revoked her custody of her daughter.
The child will be in Etheridge’s care at least until Bickett’s next court date on September 22.
Javarius (pictured) allegedly crawled in his sister’s lap moments before he accidentally fired the gun
Bickett (pictured) sobbed in court as the judge revoked her custody of her daughter
But further complicating the situation, Bickett lives with her mother and claimed in court that she takes care of her stepfather at home.
The judge ruled she can return to the house to take care of her stepfather, but cannot stay over and is not allowed to be alone with her daughter.
‘Without mandatory basic licensing and training for gun owners, families will continue to face danger,’ stated Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears.
‘Safe storage and responsible gun owners are not optional – it’s a matter of life and death.’
According to the nationwide gun-training organization Concealed Coalition, getting a gun in Indiana is ‘straightforward.’
‘All you’ll have to do is visit a licensed dealer, pass a background check, and pay for the firearm,’ the group wrote.
Residents are permitted to carry both open and concealed weapons in most parts of the state.
