A South Carolina woman with custody of a 15-year-old boy has been arrested after authorities say the teen got hold of her handgun and accidentally shot his friend. Davina Jill Browne, 33, of Walhalla, faces a charge of unlawfully placing a child at risk of harm. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office says she knew the teen had access to a Taurus 900 handgun and didn’t take steps to secure it.
The teen was handling the gun when it discharged, killing 15-year-old Thaddaeus Justice Terezakis. The 15-year-old boy has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with his friend’s death. The case has drawn attention because the adult is facing charges even though she wasn’t present when the shooting happened.
The story touches a debate playing out in communities everywhere: when a minor gets a firearm and tragedy follows, where does the responsibility land? Florida does have a safe-storage law, and cases like this one are why it exists. Parents, grandparents, and anyone with kids in the house may want to take a hard look at where firearms are kept, and whether the young people under their roof truly can’t get to them.
What do you think — should adults face charges when a child accesses their gun? Let us know in the comments.
