Indiana Mother Charged After Son Fatally Shoots Himself With Gun From Purse

Keiara Bickett, a 28-year-old Indiana mother, has been charged with neglect of a dependent following the tragic incident where her 2-year-old son, Javarius, fatally shot himself with her 9mm Glock handgun taken from her unzipped purse in a CVS parking lot. The shooting occurred on June 19 while Bickett was parking her car and distracted by her phone, with her 8-year-old daughter witnessing the event. Authorities revealed that Javarius was initially in a car seat but was not buckled in and had moved to the front seat, where he accessed the firearm. Bickett was court-ordered to have no contact with her daughter, who is currently under the care of her grandmother, with a review of this order scheduled for late September. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears emphasized the need for mandatory gun owner licensing and proper firearm storage to prevent such tragedies. Bickett's trial is set for November, where she faces 20 to 40 years in prison if convicted, although her mother insists the incident was a tragic accident without malicious intent.