Sentenced: Mom Sobbed In Court, Saying Whe Was Wrong For Allowing “Bad Company” & Guns Around Her Kids

[Sugar Cookie]

A Lancaster mother whose 2-year-old son died after shooting himself with a gun in their home was sentenced to four and a half years in prison Wednesday.

Toni Gladden, 27, pleaded guilty to felony child neglect and misprision of a felony.

Her son, Jacarion, grabbed the gun from a table and shot himself on July 31, 2017, in their Lancaster home, prosecutors said.

Gladden sobbed in court, saying she was wrong for allowing “bad company” and guns around her children.

But she said she had changed and would be a good mother to her surviving daughter.

“I accept responsibility for the company I kept around my child,” said Gladden, who previously had no criminal record.

Jacarion shot himself in the chest with a gun that Gladden’s boyfriend, Shazeem Hayes, left on the table.

The gun was illegal. Jacarion tested positive for cocaine at an autopsy, prosecutor Randy Newman said.

Gladden and her lawyer, Bill Nowicki, asked for mercy because Gladden also has an 8-year-old daughter.

“She is the only child I have left,” Gladden said in court.

Gladden faced up to 20 years in prison for the neglect charge, and for lying to police after the shooting.

She first told officers that her son died in a drive-by shooting, and she lied about the shooting, guns and other parts of the incident for more than six hours, court testimony showed.

But Circuit Judge Brian Gibbons said that there had to be consequences for the guns and drugs in the home. Without the gun in the home, Jacarion would not have died, Gibbons said.

Toni Gladden’s boyfriend, Shazeem Hayes, a felon at age 18 when the incident happened, pleaded guilty in April 2018 to child neglect and weapons charges. He is serving 8 years in prison.

Hayes was brought from prison to court Wednesday, and said the death of Jacarion was his fault. Hayes begged that Toni Gladden be spared prison.

“It was my gun, my mistake, I did it all,” Hayes said while sobbing in court Wednesday.

https://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/crime/article218651250.html

 

[shames demise]

the child tested positive for cocaine?

 

[BostonBurns]

Seriously, of the dozens of stories I've read about young children shooting themselves with an unsecured firearm, this is the first time I can recall someone receiving a jail sentence. Yeah we've got a felon, and an unlicensed handgun, and I'm sure that was a big factor in the mother's sentence, but frankly, I think anyone who leaves an unsecured weapon within reach of a young child should serve some time in the can. yet there never seems to be any consequences..

 

[Keepalowprofile]

the child tested positive for cocaine?

Yeah... I think it was suicide. He was 2 and realized cocaine at 2 his life was over.

 

[shames demise]

lol, shame on you. i was feeling bad for the kid for a moment there.

 

[shames demise]

it says that he tested positive for it though in the article.

"Jacarion tested positive for cocaine at an autopsy, prosecutor Randy Newman said."

 

[Prettypink513]

"Hayes was brought from prison to court Wednesday, and said the death of Jacarion was his fault. Hayes begged that Toni Gladden be spared prison.
“It was my gun, my mistake, I did it all,” Hayes said while sobbing in court Wednesday."

Remorse?

 

[Sugar Cookie]

@Prettypink513

It is not remorse, he thinks this excuse for a mother will wait for him or in the future he can say no it was her not me.

 

[Granmaw]

I have no doubt this was an accident, but it was an accident brought about by stupidity and neglect. No doubt if it is overlooked this time, she'll be right back at it as soon as she thinks no one is looking. It's a small consolation, but at least little man didn't suffer years of abuse like most we read about on here.

 

[Sugar Cookie]