Mother of slain Sacramento County boy, Keith Frierson, expresses grief along with others
FOOTHILL FARMS - A mom is grieving for her 10 year old and another 10-year-old is in a detention facility accused of killing him.
We're learning the boy and his older brother lost their father a year ago. Their mom is now without her husband and one of her sons.
The suspect will remain in custody until a judge decides whether he will be released before trial. It comes as the mother of Keith "KJ" Frierson calls for accountability in her child's death. Many are questioning though, when the suspected shooter is just 10 years old, what does that legal process look like?
"He went outside to ride his bike -- not even 15 minutes later, my baby was gone," said Britney Frierson.
Britney is heartbroken and horrified that something like this could happen to her 10 year old.
"The only adult outside, he walked by him and somehow got his gun...and shot my baby," said Frierson.
Dozens gathered, lighting candles for KJ.
They're remembering his smile, his love of sports, and his charisma.
Frierson is now dealing with the death of her son, just a year after losing her husband to fentanyl poisoning.
On Saturday, Sacramento County sheriff's deputies responded to an apartment on Greenholme Dr. where, they say, a 10-year-old had gone to the car to get cigarettes for his father, and inside the vehicle, found a gun.
That's when, investigators say, he started showing it off and pulled the trigger.
"He will pay for this, he will," said Frierson. "We will get justice for my son."
The suspected 10-year-old shooter is in a youth detention facility. His father, Arkete Davis, was found to be a convicted felon and the gun used was stolen. Investigators say he tried to help cover the crime by throwing the gun in a trash can.
"It's really uncommon, but it does happen," said criminal defense attorney Mark Reichel.
Reichel has tried similar cases involving youth.
How much of this is going to fall on the child?
"We don't take anybody under 16 anymore to adult court, and even under 14, it's just hard to believe that you could charge with a crime," he said. "If he's convicted, you know he would go to the youth authority."
Reichel says a judge will determine whether the child's actions were premeditated and done with evil intent
"Keep my family in y'all's prayers. Keep 'em in your prayers and hold y'all babies," she said. "We can't even let our babies go ride bikes."
The father of the suspect is behind bars on $500,000 bond for firearms charges, child endangerment, and accessory after the fact for being accused of trying to cover up the shooting.