GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A man was sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm in connection to the accidental shooting death of a 2-year-old in Lansing last year.
The child accidentally shot himself while inside a vehicle at a gas station on Oct. 24, 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of Michigan (DOJ).
Three people were charged in connection to the incident, including the child’s mother, 26-year-old Emma Huver.
Michigan
3 charged for accidental shooting death of 2-year-old in Lansing
Huver pleaded guilty to possessing a gun as a felon earlier this year, federal attorneys say. She was sentenced to five years in prison.
The DOJ tells us 44-year-old Avis Coward also pleaded guilty for the illegal possession of two weapons as a convicted felon.
“This two-year-old child is dead because Avis Coward flouted the law,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “This case painfully represents a grim statistic that hangs over the nation: gun violence is now the #1 cause of death for our youngest Americans, ages 0-19. None of us should get used to this new reality. My team and I will use every tool we have to punish criminals who put our kids in harm’s way.”
Coward will spend 10 years behind bars, according to the DOJ.
We’re told a third suspect in the case, Gina Schieberl, pleaded guilty to evidence tampering. Her sentencing hearing is expected to be held Oct. 21.
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