Missouri man charged with fatally shooting three, including toddler

By Carey Gillam

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - A 22-year-old Kansas City man was charged Thursday with shooting to death his former girlfriend, the woman's 1-year-old son and a male friend after the woman threw a box of diapers at him during an argument, prosecutors said.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office charged Joseph Nelson with three counts of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and burglary in connection with the crimes. The victims were identified as 17-year-old Bianca Fletcher, her son, Joseph, and an 18-year-old male named Shannon Rollins.

According to a statement given to police by a friend of Nelson's, Nelson went to Fletcher's home on the night of Sept. 8, argued with her and then shot her to death after she threw a box of diapers that struck him in the head.

According to the friend, Nelson said he also shot the child because he would not stop crying, and shot Rollins to death because he was a witness, according to police documents.

Nelson told police that he had no involvement in the deaths and was asleep most of that day, police documents show.

Prosecutors have requested a bond of $1 million.

"My daughter and grandson were precious," Richard Fletcher, the father of Bianca Fletcher, said in a statement. "We are hurting and angry but we are grateful justice is being sought for my daughter and grandson.

(Additional reporting by Kevin Murphy in Kansas City, Mo.; Editing by Eric Walsh)