Mom Charged After 2-Year-Old Son Allegedly Grabs Gun from Her Purse and Kills Himself in Front of His 8-Year-Old Sister By Nicole Acosta

An Indiana mother was arrested and charged after her 2-year-old son allegedly grabbed a gun from her purse and fatally shot himself in front of his older sister, authorities said.

Keiara Bickett was charged on June 20 with felony neglect of a dependent resulting in death, according to online Marion County court records. It’s unclear if she has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on her behalf.

On Friday, Sept. 5, Bickett, 28, made an appearance in court, where a judge ruled she has no contact with her 9-year-old daughter, who witnessed the deadly shooting of 2-year-old Javarius on June 19, WTHR reported.

That afternoon, officers with the Indianapolis Police Department were called to a CVS parking lot on a report of a shooting. Bickett told police that as she was driving to park, she heard a gunshot and ducked, before seeing her son fall to the front passenger side floor, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

Bickett, who called 911, allegedly said she believed her 2-year-old son got ahold of her handgun from her unzipped purse on the center console, per the affidavit. The mother allegedly claimed to investigators that she was unsure how the boy got out of his car seat.

“Keiara said that she did not see Victim with her handgun and did not see it after hearing the gunshot,” the affidavit states. Bickett’s daughter, who was sitting in the passenger seat, also allegedly told police that she “heard a loud noise while playing a game on her phone and saw her brother fall to the floor.” Before that, her brother had climbed onto her lap, the girl said.

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Bickett allegedly told police she carries the handgun in her purse when she is out and at stores and usually keeps it zipped, but “did not think that was the case today,” per the affidavit. She also reportedly said she does not have a holster for the handgun and keeps it stored in a box in her closet while at home. She added that she didn’t see the boy with the gun.

The boy was pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital. A medical examiner determined he sustained a gunshot wound to his right eye at an intermediate range, per the affidavit. The boy’s death was ruled an accident.

“Two children are gone, two families are shattered, and it never should have happened,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement shared with PEOPLE, referencing a separate unintentional shooting death that occurred around the same time.

“Until our state requires basic licensing and training for gun owners, families will remain at risk,” Mears added. “Safe storage and responsible gun ownership are not optional — it’s a matter of life and death.”

According to WTHR, during the September court hearing, it was revealed that Bickett’s daughter will remain in her grandmother’s custody until the next court hearing on Sept. 22. At that time, the judge will reassess the no-contact order with guidance from Indiana’s Department of Child Services.

A GoFundMe campaign described Bickett as someone who has “always been a caring and loving parent.” WTHR reported that Bickett’s mother, Melissa Etheridge, believes the felony charge is too harsh, calling her grandson’s death, “an absolute accident.”