DURHAM, N.C. — A Durham mother is facing involuntary manslaughter charges nearly two months after her 4-year-old son fatally shot himself with an unsecured handgun inside their home.
Tragedy on North Briggs Avenue
The incident occurred on June 23 inside a home on North Briggs Avenue in East Durham. According to police, Ka’Marii Patterson, just four years old, shot himself with a Glock 20 Gen 5 handgun that had been left unsecured.
Tiera McArthur, 26, was arrested Tuesday, August 5, following a grand jury indictment issued on July 21. She is accused of failing to properly conceal, lock, or secure the firearm, which led to her son’s death, court documents show.
What Happened That Night
A woman who was inside the home at the time—not identified in court records—told police she heard “a pop,” followed by Ka’Marii screaming and running from the room. The woman reportedly found a gun on the floor and placed it in a drawer, where responding officers later recovered it.
Investigators also seized two 10mm handguns, two .40 caliber cartridges, and two projectile fragments from the home, according to a search warrant.
A Mother’s Grief and Social Media Posts
Hours after the tragedy, McArthur took to Facebook Live, saying,
“You always hear kids accidentally [getting] guns and shooting themselves… but you will never, never think it was you.”…