Wichita, KS – A 25-year-old Kansas woman has been sentenced to more than three years in prison after a 4-year-old child playing with her gun accidentally shot and killed a 7-year-old boy while she was drinking tequila with friends. Prosecutors say the tragedy could have been prevented if the gun had not been left unattended.
The Incident: Child Found Fatally Shot While Adults Drank Outside
The fatal shooting took place on March 15 at an apartment complex in the Planeview neighborhood of Wichita, where Tasha Dillard, 25, was drinking with friends while several children played nearby. According to court documents, Dillard and a group of adults were in her car taking tequila shots, leaving the seven children inside her apartment unsupervised.
Just ten minutes later, a child came running out of the apartment yelling, “Take him to the hospital!” One woman rushed inside and found 7-year-old Davion Gunter bleeding from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The woman carried Davion outside and held him until first responders arrived. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. Investigators later determined that a 4-year-old child had gotten hold of Dillard’s gun and accidentally shot Davion.
Investigation and Evidence: Gun Left Accessible to Children
Investigators discovered that Dillard initially denied owning any firearms, claiming she had no gun in the apartment. However, after further questioning, she admitted that she had recently purchased a firearm and had left it on the counter behind her purse, where it was visible and within reach of the children…