New charges filed in death of Lansing 2-year-old killed in accidental shooting
LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Officials announced Wednesday that new charges were filed in the death of a 2-year-old Lansing boy who was killed in an accidental shooting in October.
A grand jury returned an indictment and Avis Damone Coward was charged with felon in possession of a firearm, conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence.
In addition, Emma Huver, 26, of Lansing, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm and Gina Schieberl, 26, also of Lansing, was charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence.
"For the first time ever, gun violence is the leading cause of death for kids in America," said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. "Nothing more horribly illustrates this crisis than the death of an innocent two-year-old child. The cure demands an all-hands approach and my office will play its part by ensuring accountability for those who put children in harm's way."
On Oct. 24, Coward allegedly exited his car and went inside a Lansing gas station and left a 2-year-old child and his mother, Huver, in the car.
According to surveillance video, about a minute later, a bullet hole appeared in the window, and when Huver got out of the car, she was holding her 2-year-old, who had blood on his face.
When she exited the car, a gun fell out of it.
"Huver handed the child to Coward, who then passed the child to a third person who took the victim into the gas station and attempted to control the bleeding until medical personnel arrived," according to U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. "Coward returned to the car, picked up the gun off the ground, and put it back in the car."
After that, Coward drove away. The 2-year-old later died from his injuries.
The tampering charges stem from Coward and Schieberl trying to hide and destroy evidence. Authorities found the car burned-out and abandoned in a field, and the barrel of a .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol was found taken apart and hidden in the wall of a house.
"Gun violence is a national crisis and the leading cause of death of our children so it's best to have strong law enforcement partnerships to address this crisis and protect our children," said Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney John J. Dewane. "Locally and nationally, we have far too many senseless, preventable deaths because of children having access to firearms. No child should ever have access to a loaded firearm. No child should ever be in danger of being shot under any circumstances. My office, in collaboration with U. S. Attorney's Office, will hold offenders accountable when children are victims of gun violence."