A 10-year-old girl who got ahold of a gun at her grandmother’s home and accidentally shot herself has died, according to the Baltimore Police Department.
E’vaa Sewell was pronounced dead Tuesday after suffering an accidental gunshot wound on Saturday, police said. Her grandmother Alethea Mitchell, 51, is facing multiple charges, including firearm possession with a felony conviction, possession of a stolen firearm and allowing firearm access by a minor, according to online court records.
A judge on Monday denied Mitchell bail. During a hearing, the judge emphasized that Mitchell, as a convicted felon, should not have had a gun, according to WJZ.
“Her first reaction was to remove that weapon and stash it in a rear bedroom under some clothes. Clearly, Ms. Mitchell’s concern was primarily for herself in that situation and not for anyone else,” the judge reportedly said.
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An attorney listed for Mitchell in online court records didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mitchell left for work around 7:45 a.m. on Jan. 25, according to court documents, while her granddaughter was still asleep. Mitchell texted her around 1 p.m. to ask whether she was hungry. The child, who police previously said was 9, did not respond to the text message.
Shortly after 3 p.m., Mitchell came home with lunch. That’s when she found her granddaughter in an upstairs bedroom lying in blood with a gun underneath her, according to court documents.
After finding her injured granddaughter, Mitchell called 911 and then her son, according to court documents. She then placed the 9 mm handgun into a clear tote in a back bedroom underneath folded clothes, according to the documents.
Officers responded to the shooting, which happened in the 3500 block of Ingleside Avenue in Northwest Baltimore, around 3 p.m.
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Mitchell told police the gun belonged to an ex-boyfriend, according to court documents. Police said they investigated and found the gun was stolen in a burglary and that Mitchell was not permitted to have a gun due to past offenses in Baltimore.
Baltimore Banner reporter Darreonna Davis contributed to this story.
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