COVINGTON, Ky. — The parents of a 2-year-old shot and killed in Covington are now facing complicity to murder charges after police said a loaded handgun was left within reach of their two children, resulting in their child's death.
Tashaun Adams, 21, told police he and his child's mother, 23-year-old Selena Farrell, were sleeping in their living room on Jan. 22 when they woke up to the sound of a gunshot, according to his arrest citation. Adams said he saw his 2-year-old son, Khalil, bleeding and called 911.
Police said Khalil was shot in the chest. Officers who first arrived at the scene rendered aid in the middle of Warren Street before paramedics rushed Khalil to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, where he later died.
According to Adams' arrest citation, his 3-year-old son told an officer at the scene, "Daddy's gun is in a drawer." A forensic interviewer asked the 3-year-old who shot his younger brother, and he responded, "Me." Adams' handgun was found discarded in some barbecue on the stove, police said.
Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders said in a January press conference that he believes the shooting can't be referred to as an accident, because he defines accidents as something that cannot be avoided.
"This certainly was not a situation where — this was very much avoidable," Sanders said. "It was caused by the fact that two adults left a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber in reach of a 3-year-old who they did not supervise."
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Farrell fled the home before police arrived and never went to see her child, Sanders said. She was later taken into police custody for violating her probation.
Originally, both Adams and Farrell were facing second-degree manslaughter charges. Adams was also facing a hindering apprehension. Farrell also had possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and abandonment of a minor. A third man, 20-year-old Jeremiah Thomas, was also charged with hindering apprehension in connection with the shooting.
Instead of the manslaughter charges, Farrell and Adams have now been indicted on complicity to murder, which is a more serious charge, according to the Kenton County Jail. Both are expected in court on Monday, April 15 for their arraignments.
Sanders previously said he planned to present more intensive and varied charges for Adams and Farrell. He said he was doing so because there was no legal precedent for an unsecured firearm being used by a child in Kentucky.
"There is no reported case law in Kentucky on charging a parent who failed to secure a loaded handgun from a 3-year-old child," said Sanders. "Of what we can find, it hasn't happened before ... This is a novel charge, but at the same time, I think by all means that we have enough evidence to sustain a conviction."
