Heartbroken mother wants answers after her 3-year-old shoots himself
MINNEAPOLIS — A heartbroken mother replays a short video of her son saying "hi" before telling her he loves her.
Those three words are all Charlotte Williams wishes she could hear again from her baby, 3-year-old Jajuan Robinson better known as Junior.
On Monday, Minneapolis Assistant Police Chief Christopher Gaiters said the department had received a 911 call around 12:45 p.m. saying that the boy had been shot.
"I left my baby with somebody I thought I trusted," Williams said holding back tears. "Somebody he was supposed to be safe with."
Williams said she was at work and her son was home with a babysitter when she saw an article on Facebook about a boy who had been shot at her apartment complex.
Then, she received a phone call from her babysitter telling her Junior shot himself after getting his hands on a gun. He was rushed to the hospital where he died.
"How did he even get a hold of a gun to shoot himself, how?" Williams questioned. "It shouldn't have been there. I don't allow guns in my household."
Williams said she doesn't own a gun and still can't understand why the babysitter would leave it out, loaded, and not locked.
"Everybody keeps telling me don't blame yourself, but I blame myself I should have called off work, should have been with him," Williams said.
Minneapolis police say this is an active and ongoing case. Investigators are working hard to determine the exact sequence of events that led up to this shooting.
What is clear to this family is there was an adult male at the home at the time.
"He (the babysitter) loved Junior that was his everything, but we just can't ignore the fact that he was neglectful," said Meshia Woods, Junior's aunt. "We won't have any justice if we let him off that easy."
For now, it's photos and memories of the good times helping them navigate through this nightmare.
Through the pain, this family wants people to know storing guns safely can save lives.
You can get free gun locks at various police stations, click here for a list from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.