Mom, boyfriend charged in toddler’s accidental shooting death
Mar 28, 2012, 5:30 AM | Updated: 2:07 pm
A mom and her boyfriend have pleaded not guilty to charges
in the death of
a 3-year-old who accidentally shot himself in a car parked
at
a Tacoma gas station two weeks ago.
Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Eric Vita,
23, and Jahnisha McIntosh, 22, with Manslaughter in the
Second Degree.
The couple pulled into the gas station near the Tacoma
Mall just after midnight on March 14. Before going into
the station, Vita placed his loaded 9mm handgun with a
laser sight under the passenger seat where he was sitting.
The boy, Julio, unbuckled his seatbelt, and made his way
to the front from the mini-van’s third row. His 8-month-
old sister was strapped into a car seat in the second row.
Julio asked his mom, who was sitting in the driver’s seat,
for candy. As he was standing there, his mom moved the gun
from under the passenger seat and placed it under her
seat. She got out of the van and went into the store for
food after Vita returned to pump gas. The boy was left
unrestrained in the vehicle.
A gunshot was heard from inside the van just moments later
and Julio was found on the front passenger floorboard with
a gunshot wound to his head.
He was taken to the hospital where he died.
“Nothing is sadder than the death of a child,” said
Prosecutor Mark Lindquist, “and when the death is the
result of criminal negligence, there needs to be
accountability. Guns are inherently dangerous and the law,
as well as common sense, requires that guns be handled
responsibly, especially around children.”
While Vita has a concealed weapons permit, he explained to
investigators the reason he left the gun in the van was
because he was wearing his pants low. The last time a gas
station clerk spotted the gun, the police were called.
McIntosh said she moved the gun under the driver’s seat so
that her son would not be able to grab it.
Friends and family have told detectives Vita has showed
off the gun and sight to people, including Julio. He’s
even offered to let the boy hold the gun before someone
intervened.
Vita and McIntosh will be arraigned Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
