5-year-old boy with cocaine in his system shoots and kills 1-year old baby brother with weed in his system

In Lafayette, Indiana, the parents of a 16-month-old boy who tragically lost his life earlier this year due to a gunshot by his 5-year-old brother have been taken into custody and charged in connection with the incident. Deonta Jermaine Johnson, aged 27, and Shatia Tiara Welch, aged 24, are facing multiple charges related to the death of their son, Isiah Johnson, at their apartment on Westchester Lane.

The charges against both parents include neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect resulting in endangerment, neglect resulting in bodily injury, conspiracy to commit dealing a narcotic drug, dealing a narcotic drug, possession of a narcotic, conspiracy to commit dealing marijuana, dealing marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and obstructing justice, as per records from Tippecanoe Superior Court.

The tragic incident occurred when the older brother found a gun inside the family’s apartment unit and unintentionally shot his younger sibling in the head. The 16-month-old boy lost his life as a result of the gunshot wound. Toxicology results indicated that the toddler tested positive for marijuana, and his older brother allegedly had cocaine in his system.

Following a traffic stop, the parents were arrested on Monday afternoon by the Lafayette Police Department. According to court documents, Johnson initially denied his child had been shot and claimed there was no gun in the apartment. However, he later acknowledged hearing a noise that woke him up and found his older son downstairs requesting a bowl of cereal. After providing the cereal, he checked on the younger boy and discovered the tragic situation.

Welch, the mother, reportedly admitted to having a gun locked away under her bed, but she had lost one set of keys, which her 5-year-old wouldn’t recognize. During the investigation, officers discovered a gun and car keys in the apartment’s dresser drawer, along with various drugs.

Surveillance footage from the apartment complex allegedly showed Johnson leaving the scene and placing a bag in a car after the incident. Subsequently, a search warrant led to the discovery of marijuana hidden in that vehicle.

Both parents appeared in court on Wednesday, but they are no longer in custody according to La Porte County Jail records. Johnson’s trial is scheduled to begin on November 28, while Welch’s trial is set for December 12.

This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with living with individuals involved in illegal activities such as drug dealing, especially when children are involved. Such unfortunate stories are regrettably not uncommon.