Mother of child killed by unsecured gun wants brother’s charges dropped
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga - The mother of a 4-year-old shot and killed in a DeKalb County apartment wants charges dropped against her brother.
Jessica Jenkins tells FOX 5 Atlanta's Aungelique Proctor she had just finished bathing her four children and stepped into her mom's room when she heard a bang.
"Only thing I heard was a shot. One shot. That's it. Me and my mom and brother rushed in there and got up, my brother was asleep. It was an accident," mom Jessica Jenkins said through tears.
Janiyah Jenkins (Courtesy of the family)
Jenkins says her brother grabbed Janiyah and rushed to Hughes Spaulding Hospital.
A DeKalb County police source said the gun was left out in plain view and Janiyah's uncle, 27-year-old LeVante Cummings, had fallen asleep.
"When we got to Hughes Spalding she was talking and everything. She was talking to him," Jenkins said.
"But when they transferred her to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta-Egleston. They said when she shot herself in the leg, the bullet went through her leg and into her intestines."
Despite the doctors' efforts, Janiyah didn't make it.
"She was fun, funny, happy, she helped and she was real close to her twin brother," Jenkins said.
Levante Cummings (DeKalb County Sheriff's Office)
DeKalb County police arrested Cummings, but his family wants him released.
"It's an accident. She pulled that trigger. My brother helped my baby. My brother loved my baby," Jenkins said.
DeKalb Police charged suspect Cummings with second degree murder and second degree cruelty to children.
4-year-old girl killed in shooting, uncle charged
DeKalb County said shortly before 10 p.m. Monday, DeKalb County police responded to a report of a shooting on the 1400 block of Bouldercrest Road.
Police found4-year-old Janiyah Jenkins suffering from a gunshot wound.
During the investigation, police arrested 27-year-old Levante Cummings and charged him with second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to a child. Additional charges are expected.
At the time of the shooting, there were two children, including Janiyah, in the home.
The investigation is ongoing.