Mother Sentenced to Prison for Son’s Fatal Shooting After Gun Found in Her Purse

A 29-year-old mother from Indiana has been sentenced to serve six years in prison and community corrections after her 2-year-old son fatally shot himself with a handgun that was improperly stored in her purse. The tragic incident occurred on June 19, 2025, at a CVS parking lot in Indianapolis.

Marion County Superior Court Judge Angela D. Davis handed down the sentence following Keiara Bickett's guilty plea to charges of reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped one count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, which was initially filed against Bickett.

The incident unfolded when Javarius Bickett, who was 2 years old at the time, managed to retrieve his mother's 9 mm Glock Model 26 Gen 5 from an unzipped purse while they were in the CVS parking lot. The child fired a single shot that struck him in the head, leading to his death shortly after being rushed to Riley Hospital for Children.

The shooting was witnessed by Bickett’s then-8-year-old daughter, who had Javarius sitting on her lap during the incident. Bickett reported the tragedy to emergency services immediately and provided a detailed account of how she had been driving with both children when she noticed Javarius was no longer in his car seat after stopping at a gas station.

Bickett explained that while she was texting a friend, she realized Javarius had exited the vehicle. She then heard a gunshot and saw her son fall toward the passenger-side floorboard. Police recovered the Glock from beneath the driver's seat along with a fired cartridge in the chamber and a loaded magazine.

Investigations revealed that Bickett typically kept her firearm inside a zipped purse but did not believe it was properly secured on the day of the incident. The presence of bullet strike marks on the front passenger side and a recovered bullet from the back seat confirmed the tragic circumstances leading to Javarius’s death.

During her sentencing hearing, which took place in Marion County Superior Court, Bickett appeared visibly pregnant and is due to give birth in November. This case highlights significant concerns about firearm safety and the potential risks associated with improper storage of weapons within reach of young children.

The incident underscores the critical importance of secure weapon storage practices to prevent such tragedies from occurring. Advocates for gun safety reform have pointed to this case as an example of why stricter regulations on firearm accessibility are necessary, particularly in households with small children.