Police: 4-Year-Old Fatally Shot His Little Sister; Mother Charged with Homicide
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
The mother of a 5-year-old girl who died after being shot in her own home in Florida City, South Florida, now faces charges in connection with the incident, following her statement to authorities that the girl's brother pulled the trigger, according to a new arrest report. Ashley Marie Hosendove, 32, was booked into a Miami-Dade jail on charges of aggravated involuntary manslaughter of a minor and culpable negligence in the shooting that occurred on June 10. Ja’Nova Parks, 5, was full of joy. Her dance steps and vibrant personality are now just memories for her paternal grandmother, Latisha Ellison, who mourns her loss. 'I know she loved her children. I know that and I can't deny it. But at the same time, her duty was to protect them.' According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, Florida City Police officers responded to the residence located in the 1400 block of Northwest 1st Court after receiving reports of gunfire shortly before 2 a.m. The girl was found with a gunshot wound to the torso, and officers transported her and her mother to Homestead Baptist Hospital. Later, the girl was airlifted to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where she died from her injuries. At that time, Miami-Dade Sheriff's Detective Angel Rodríguez stated that there were three adults and two minors in the home during the shooting, including the girl's 4-year-old brother, but it was unclear how the shot was fired. The mother was arrested the following day on an unrelated charge and later released, but had not yet been implicated in her daughter's death. A new arrest report reveals that authorities brought Hosendove in for questioning on August 12, before she was arrested and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. According to that report, when officers arrived at the home, they saw Hosendove carrying her daughter out of the residence 'wrapped in a blood-soaked white blanket.' When police asked who shot the girl, Hosendove replied that it was her minor son, the arrest report states. Authorities reported that Ja’Nova was shot in the right arm and torso. Later, when investigators searched Hosendove's home, they found 'items of evidentiary value, including a firearm.' Most of what Hosendove revealed in her interview was redacted in the report, but ultimately investigators concluded that 'because the accused did not properly secure the firearm and showed a conscious disregard for the welfare of her children, resulting in the victim's death, the accused was charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter of a minor and one count of culpable negligence.' Authorities claim the accused was aware of the firearm's risk. Police say Hosendove had known for over a year that the safety mechanism on her gun was not functioning. They allege she admitted to always keeping a bullet in the chamber and that, a week before the incident, her son saw the gun and called his sister to see it too. 'I pray that this never happens again. Because it is something that could have been avoided. My granddaughter could have been in school today. Her first day of classes,' said the paternal grandmother. The 4-year-old who fired the shot is currently with the mother's family. Hosendove appeared before Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer on Thursday. 'It's very tragic because the gun was not properly secured, even though it was in her fanny pack,' Glazer said. The judge ordered that she remain detained without bail until her next hearing. Hosendove's attorney stated they plan to defend the case in court because the gun was inside a fanny pack in a closet. Meanwhile, the Department of Children and Families is also investigating the matter.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
