Ms Runions is in custody on a $1.5 million bond. (Representative pic)
A 25-year-old woman in the United States is under arrest for fatally shooting a 4-year-old girl on Sunday while demonstrating gun safety. According to a press release by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the woman, identified as Breanna Runions, was charged with murder and aggravated child abuse in relation to the death of Evangeline Gunter.
During an investigation, authorities determined that Ms Runions caused the injuries that led to the girl’s death. As per the New York Post, at the time of arrest, she told the officials that she was trying to demonstrate gun safety when she pulled the trigger.
However, Ms Runions statement was contradicted by her girlfriend and a 7-year-old who were present at the scene. According to their statement, Ms Runions punished the two children for not waking up the adults and eating food that belonged to her girlfriend. They reportedly told the cops that she then hit both the children with a sandal and made them stand in different corners of the bedroom, where the adults slept.
Following this, Ms Runions then summoned the 4-year-old to show her “firearm safety”. At this point, she pressed the barrel of the gun into the front of the child’s torso and pulled the trigger, the outlet reported.
Shortly afterwards, the 25-year-old and her girlfriend rushed the little girl to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead at Roane Medical Center, officials said.
Ms Runions’ girlfriend was present in the room but did not see the shooting because she was looking away, as per authorities. They also stated that the suspect “may have initially led the investigation to believe that she was demonstrating to the scared 4-year-old ‘firearms safety'”.
On the other hand, the girl’s mother, Josie Gunter, reportedly said that the little girl lived at the house because of a court order and was only supposed to be there for two more months. “I feel like it’s my fault that I let her be there. I should have been more attentive,” she said. “I wish I could have been a better mother for her, to pay attention,” the mother added.
The case is currently under investigation. For now, Ms Runions is in custody on a $1.5 million bond.