Following a shooting incident in Covington, Kentucky, two parents, Selena Farrell, 23, and Tashaun Adams, 21, have been arrested and charged.
The young couple faces second-degree manslaughter charges after their two-year-old son, Khalil Adams, was fatally shot by his three-year-old sibling.
The incident took place in their Warren Street apartment, near Holmes High School, on January 22, 2024, around 12:44 p.m.
Kenton County prosecutor Rob Sanders provided details during a press conference held that Friday.
Police arrived at the scene on a Monday afternoon following reports of a shooting. The toddler, with a gunshot wound, was rushed to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital across the Ohio River but was later pronounced dead. The child was subsequently identified by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.
According to Sanders, the firearm, which had a loaded round in the chamber, was stored in a living room dresser drawer, accessible to the three-year-old. He stated, “This shooting death was caused by the fact that two adults left this gun with a loaded round in the chamber around a three-year-old they did not supervise.”
The authorities believe this tragic incident could have been avoided with appropriate weapon storage. During the press conference, Sanders stressed that the issue at hand was not legal but parental negligence.
He also noted the significance of the charges against Farrell and Adams, stating that it’s uncommon for second-degree manslaughter charges to be levied in similar cases in Kentucky. This charge is defined by law as wantonly causing another person’s death.
Farrell, who was on probation and had an outstanding warrant for her arrest, fled the scene before the authorities arrived.
She was later discovered in a hotel room in Boone County on Thursday, January 25, 2024, along with Adams and Jeremiah Thomas, 20.
Farrell now faces charges of second-degree manslaughter, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and abandonment, in addition to an initial probation violation charge. She was identified as the gun’s owner, which she claimed to have purchased for safety before her felony conviction. She told the police that she fled to avoid missing her son’s funeral, even though Khalil was still alive at that point.
The child’s father, Tashaun Adams, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter and hindering apprehension. Adams, who is currently being held at the Boone County Detention Center, allegedly helped Farrell evade the police after the shooting.
Thomas, a resident of Elsmere, has also been charged with hindering apprehension. He was present during the shooting but left before the police’s arrival.
In court, Farrell pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Adams has yet to enter a plea.
The case is set to be presented to a grand jury, which may consider varying charges before it moves to circuit court.
