UPDATE: Two arrested in 4-year-old Muncie boy's fatal shooting
MUNCIE, Ind. — The mother of a 4-year-old Muncie boy who was fatally shot early Monday afternoon has been arrested, along with her boyfriend.
Alycia J. Smith, 22, and Joseph P.M. Jackson, 19, are each preliminarily charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a Level 1 felony carrying up to 40 years in prison.
Smith and Jackson also face a preliminary count of neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony with a maximum 30-month sentence.
Muncie police, and emergency medical responders from the city fire department, were called to the scene of the shooting, in the 1500 block of South Burlington Drive, at 12:11 p.m.
Scanner traffic indicated the victim was 4 years old and had been shot in the head.
The boy was taken by ambulance to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to Melissa Criswell, a deputy chief with the Muncie Police Department.
"This is an ongoing investigation," Criswell said. She asked anyone with information on Monday's shooting to call her department's detective division at 765-747-4867.
A medical helicopter had arrived at the hospital, apparently for use if the shooting victim needed to be transferred to an Indianapolis medical facility.
In July, a 5-year-old Muncie girl was fatally shot in the head after her 6-year-old brother removed a loaded handgun from a safe in their parents' bedrooms.
Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman later charged both of that victim's parents with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a Level 1 felony.
(This story will be updated.)
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Two held on neglect charges after 4-year-old Muncie boy dies of gunshot wound
