[taxthedeer]

Tragic news this morning

For full story, see Monday's News-Dispatch:

MICHIGAN CITY — A 3-year-old boy was pronounced dead late Sunday afternoon after being shot at his residence in the Terrace Acres Mobile Park on U.S. 20 near Hitchcock Street and County Line Road.

La Porte County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman said an autopsy on Lance Wilson will be conducted Monday morning in Mishawaka, with results expected to be released later in the week.

Huffman said he arrived at 5:45 p.m. to “distraught neighbors” and “concerned friends” of the boy’s family. The home had already been taped off as a crime scene. “They were obviously upset and you certainly couldn’t blame them,” Huffman said.

[taxthedeer]

ABC 7 Chicago UPDATE: LaPorte County, Indiana Sheriff says Zachariah Grisham is due in court today to face charges related to the shooting death of 3-year-old Lance Wilson yesterday near Michigan City. Grisham is facing charges of neglect and reckless homicide.

[Southsider2k12]

How awful.

[Southsider2k12]

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=n...&id=9249862

Jason Knowles
More: Bio, Facebook, Twitter, News Team

September 16, 2013 ( MICHIGAN CITY, Ind.) (WLS) -- A 24-year-old man may be charged in connection with the shooting death of a 3-year-old boy at Terrace Acres Mobile Home Park in Michigan City, Ind.

"Everybody's very devastated , but like I said we didn't know him. But still hearing the fact of a child getting shot, it's just devastating for us all," Chris Scholze, neighbor, said.

Lance Wilson, 3, was fatally shot on Sunday afternoon inside his home. The LaPorte County Sheriff's Department is investigating. It appears a loaded gun may not have been properly secured.

Police are questioning his mother's boyfriend, and officials said there will be a probable cause court hearing in the case. At that time, a judge could approve charges, which may be felony reckless homicide and neglect.

"Have a weapon, but use common sense with it. I'm not against weapons -- but common sense," Scholze said.

"It's sad that he is 3-years old and he was young and didn't have a chance to live his life. And it's a big tragedy for this community for something like that to happen," Michael Ferell, neighbor, said.

Neighbors said the family had recently moved into the home and that the 3-year-old boy has an older brother.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...2522851426.html

13 hours ago • Stan Maddux Times Correspondent

A 3-year-old boy was fatally shot Sunday afternoon inside a mobile home outside Michigan City.

LaPorte County and Michigan City police about 3:30 p.m. responded to Terrace Acres on U.S. 20 just west of Hitchcock Street.

Police were at the scene Sunday night investigating the circumstances leading up to the shooting, said LaPorte County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman.

The child was shot in a single wide mobile home on Farmington Drive.

"Investigations like this take hours," Huffman said.

Huffman also said no arrests were made, but people were taken in for questioning as part of the investigation.

"It might be an accident. We don't know yet," Huffman said.

A relative of the boy, who did not want her name used, said she couldn't provide specifics on what occurred because she was instructed not to because the case is still being investigated.

"It was a really bad, tragic accident. It was nothing intentional," she said.

Huffman said there were people inside the home at the time of the shooting but he did not know who or whether any other children were there when it happened.

The victim lived inside the mobile home, Huffman said.

Wanda Wyse, 88, lives on Alpine Drive, not far from where the boy was shot.

She said she was in her living room and didn't hear a gun go off, but did hear the sirens from police vehicles and ambulance.

Wyse said a friend who lives close to where the shooting happened notified her about the boy's death.

"I was really shocked when she told me," said Wyse, who doesn't know the people who live where the shooting happened.

[Southsider2k12]

La Porte County Sheriff's Office
Options for this story

THREE (3) YEAR OLD CHILD SHOT AND KILLED – MOTHER’S BOYFRIEND CRIMINALLY CHARGED

At approximately 3:36 pm on Sunday, September 15, 2013 Officers from the Michigan City Police Department were summoned to a residence on Farmington Drive in Terrace Acres Mobile Home Park in reference to a child who had been shot. Officers arrived and determined that a three (3) year old child was deceased as the result of a gunshot wound. The child was identified as Lance Wilson.

A Probable Cause hearing was held in La Porte County Superior Court I this afternoon and after hearing oral testimony, Judge Steven King found sufficient probable cause to issue a criminal warrant for twenty-four (24) year old Zachariah L. GRISHAM. GRISHAM has been charged with Neglect of a Dependent, a class “A” felony and Reckless Homicide, a class “C” felony. He is currently being held in the La Porte County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Zachariah GRISHAM had been living with the victim and his mother at a trailer located at Terrace Acres Mobile Home Park.

This investigation remains open and is still actively being investigated. Anyone with additional information regarding this case is asked to call one of the two lead investigators: La Porte County Detective Sergeant Andrew Hynek at (219) 879-3530 ext. 2401 or Michigan City Detective Justin Frever at (219) 874-3221 ext. 344.

[diggler]

Yet more trailer trash tales.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...8381a75514.html

Stan Maddux Times Correspondent

MICHIGAN CITY | A Michigan City man accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend's 3-year-old son in a gun game mishap could receive no more than 12 years in prison.

A sentencing cap is among the terms of a plea agreement struck between the defense for Zachariah Grisham and prosecutors.

Grisham, 24, pleaded guilty Thursday to Class B felony neglect of a dependent for having a gun with a child present in the home.

The plea contains no mention of a gun game that authorities believe led to the boy's death.

LaPorte County Deputy Prosecutor Dave Ambers said he could not offer any insight on the crafting of the plea until the terms are accepted and Grisham is sentenced to avoid tainting prospective jurors if the deal is rejected and the case goes to trial.

If the plea is approved by the court, Grisham would face an up to 20-year sentence with no more than 12 years of incarceration.

Any additional time following his release would be served on probation or with some other restrictions or a combination of both.

Lance Wilson died from a gunshot wound to the head in September at Terrace Acres, a mobile home park along U.S. 20 near Hitchcock Street.

The investigation shows Grisham was living there with Lance and at least one other child along with the boy's mother.

According to authorities, Grisham and the boy often played a game where the boy pointed his finger at Grisham and said "bang, bang."

Grisham would respond by pointing his gun at the boy and pulling the trigger.

This time, Grisham forgot the gun was loaded and pulled the trigger, authorities said.

Originally, Grisham was charged with neglect of a dependent as a Class A felony which carries a sentencing range of 20 to 50 years.

Ambers said downgrading the charge is typical in plea negotiations to avoid going to trial and the chance of a defendant being found not guilty.

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At least Mr. Grisham won't have to travel far to his permanent new home across the street.

[Southsider2k12]

He gets 12 years

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...0f488944d0.html