Mom, Son Charged In Detroit Girl's Shooting Death
DETROIT (WWJ) - A young man and his mother have been charged in the death of a 12-year-old Detroit girl who was shot during a dispute over a cellphone.
A statement issued by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said 19-year-old Joshua Brown has been charged with first-degree murder, and his mother, 35-year-old Heather Brown, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact.
Police believe Heather Brown drove her son to Amanda Talton's home on Detroit's northwest side to confront her about a missing cellphone.
Talton, the victim's mother, said Joshua Brown thought she had a phone that belonged to another woman. Talton said the misunderstanding arose after she went to a home-based tax business to discuss a refund she hadn't received. She was told an IRS mistake was to blame. While there, she said she found a cellphone in the restroom and handed it to one of the office workers.
When the man from the tax business, Joshua Brown, arrived at her home Tuesday night, she thought he was there to discuss her refund, not to accuse her of taking the cellphone. Talton told him that she didn't have it and after a brief conversation, closed the door.
Moments later, shots were fired into the home, striking 12-year-old Kade'jah Davis. The girl, a sixth grade honor roll student at University Yes Academy in Detroit, was taken to an area hospital where she died.
Police say Heather Brown drove her son away from the home after the shooting.
"It is a terrible thing to realize that an innocent child was senselessly killed because a gun was fired in a dispute allegedly over a phone," said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
The Browns are expected to be arraigned Sunday morning.
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