Gaston County mother thought gun was locked up
Savannah Leigh Brehm, 22, said she didn't know a gun was sitting on her coffee table.
"I was taking care of my other child at the time. As he was leaving for work, he said he was going to put it up," she said, referring to 19-year-old Keith Sturghill, another relative and the owner of the gun.
"I thought he did. I went back to my room," she added.
Brehm said that while she was in another room, she heard a gun shot.
Her 5-year-old daughter had picked up the gun and fired it, shooting her 4-year-old son, Michael Ben Mendoza, and killing him.
"This is the worst thing that ever happened to me, and it's going to scar me for life," Brehm said, speaking during her court hearing Wednesday, Dec. 14.
She asked District Court Judge Michael Lands for a low bond.
"I want to give my son a funeral, but I don't have no money if I have to pay the bond," she said.
According to prosecutors, Brehm, 22, was alone at the house on Cindy Lane in the McAdenville area with her children around 4:22 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13.
Michael's father, 22-year-old Hector Manuel Mendoza, had left for work, along with Sturghill, who was identified in court as Michael Mendoza's uncle.
The gun, which had a single round in its chamber, belonged to Sturghill, and prosecutors allege that the adults involved knew the loaded gun was sitting out, Assistant District Attorney Matt Hawkins said.
Gabriel Brown, who lives across the road from the family, said that Brehm, who is a friend to him, ran to his mobile home and began banging on the door, "just beating and frantically screaming for help."
Brown, who seemed shaken by the incident, said that he hadn't heard the gun shot, but when he heard her pounding on his door, he raced to help.
When he entered her mobile home, he saw the boy near the door.
"He was a smiling, happy kid. He was always outside playing with his little sister," Brown said. "And I'm really devastated the little guy didn't make it."
Hawkins asked for a $500,000 bond for Mendoza, Brehm and Sturghill. Lands set Mendoza and Brehm's bonds at $250,000 and set Sturghill's bond at $400,000.
Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 704-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston County mother claims innocence in 4-year-old's shooting
