A Cuyahoga County grand jury has indicted a couple in the death of a 7-year-old boy who gained control of a gun and accidentally shot himself in the head last month.
The boy’s mother, Chartika Mock, and her boyfriend, Bryan Irby, are charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering children in the March 11 death of Demetrius Dunlap.
Mock, 27, and Irby, 29, are free on bond are set for an April 20 arraignment in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
The charges carry a maximum of 14 years in prison.
The shooting happened about 2 p.m. at a home on West 30th Street near Meyer Avenue. Police and prosecutors have not said how the boy obtained the gun.
Cleveland EMS medics rushed the boy to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he later died, police said. The office of the Cuyahoga County medical examiner’s determined the boy’s death was accidental.
Mock and Irby were arrested and charged in Cleveland Municipal Court with involuntary manslaughter three days after the incident.
“This is an avoidable tragedy,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said in a statement. “It cannot be said enough – if you are a gun owner, make sure your gun is stored safely. Whether that be in a safe or lock box, please make sure your gun is stored in a safe location with the safety on and away from children.”
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