COCOA, Fla. – A 16-year-old boy who Cocoa police believe accidentally shot and killed a 2-year-old could soon learn whether state prosecutors will charge him as an adult, News 6 partner Florida Today reports.
The teen will go before a juvenile court judge on Jan. 5 for a hearing. Prosecutors, who have been reviewing the case since the boy’s arrest on Dec. 14, could file to move the case to adult court, the state attorney’s office reported. The move will allow prosecutors more leeway in sentencing recommendations for the teen.
The teen, who remains held at the Juvenile Detention Center, was charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Brayden Howard.
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The incident happened at Sunrise Village mobile home community in the 1600 block of Owosso Street. A group of teens, including the suspect, were at the home. Cocoa police said the teens had brought at least two firearms into the home for unknown reasons.
Witnesses told detectives that the teen was sleeping on an air mattress when he woke up that morning and saw Brayden playing with a revolver left out on the bed.
The teen got up and grabbed the revolver from the toddler. He then checked to make sure it wasn’t loaded, police reported. Detectives said the teen did not know how to handle the gun, accidentally firing one round from what he thought was an unloaded firearm.
The bullet struck the toddler in the arm, going through his upper torso, investigators reported. The child then ran toward his mother. Witnesses called 911 to report that the mother was screaming, carrying her dying child. A Cocoa police officer arrived moments later and attempted unsuccessfully to revive the child.
Police said the tragedy was compounded by the fact that the mother was pregnant with Brayden two years ago when her boyfriend was shot and killed defending her and another child during a botched home invasion.
Police said the mother was comforting Jaleen Malik Howard, Brayden’s 19-year-old father, as he was lying mortally wounded in the June 19, 2018, robbery attempt.
“It’s a tragedy,” said Yvonne Martinez, spokeswoman for the Cocoa Police Department.
The toddler’s death was the 38th reported homicide to take place in Brevard County this year.