Grandparents Charged in Death of Girl, 5, Who Found Gun Under Pillow

Updated at 3:40 p.m.

DETROIT, MI – A couple whose 5 year-old grandchild found a gun under a pillow and fatally shot herself and the 80-year-old great-grandfather and mother of a 4-year-old accidentally shot himself are among those facing charges in a spate of shootings that have left Detroit children dead or injured in recent months, authorities said Wednesday.

Also Wednesday, Wayne County Circuit Chief Judge Timothy Kenny unsealed an indictment charging Diallo Davis, 23, of Detroit, was charged with first-degree murder and other charges in fatal shooting of 3-year-old Aniaya Montgomery, whose Easter Sunday death began a string of fatal shootings involving children.

“Everybody in this universe knows that Detroit has an issue,” Worthy said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference announcing the charges.

“Detroit and Wayne County have huge issues with children dying from firearm use,” she said. “And no matter how much we sugarcoat it or say it’s not so or try to cover it up with stats about crime going down, it still remains an issue that we have to address.”

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Frederick Davis, 65, and Patricia D. McNeal, 65, both of Detroit, were charged with multiple manslaughter, child abuse and felony firearm violations in the May 11 fatal shooting of their 5-year-old grandchild, Mariah Davis.

At a news conference, Worthy also announced that 80-year-old Joseph Williams, 80 and his granddaughter Andrea L. Drewery, 30, both of Detroit, have been charged in the non-fatal shooting of her son in November.

Frederick Davis retrieved the gun and called 911 after finding Mariah, according to the statement.

Both Frederick Davis and McNeal have been charged with one count each of involuntary manslaughter, three counts each of second-degree child abuse and one count each of felony firearm.

Frederick Davis faces an additional felon in possession of a firearm charge.

They are expected to turn themselves at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in to be processed and arraigned in 36th District Court.

4-Year-OId Found Gun

Williams and Drewery, who face second-degree child abuse and felony firearm charges, are expected to turn themselves in at the same time for arraignment in 36th District Court.

Drewery’s 4-year-old son found a handgun belonging to Williams, his great-grandfather, and shot himself, injuring his hand, according to the statement. He was treated at a local hospital and survived his injury.

Prosecutors allege Williams and Drewery had knowledge that the unsecured handgun was in the home and accessible to the 4-year-old and his young brother.

Easter Sunday Shooting

Diallo Davis is the fourth defendant charged in the Easter Sunday death of Aniaya Montgomery, Worthy said in another statement.

On April 6, a one-person grand jury indicted Paul G. Kendall, 24, of Ecorse, Reginald L. Street, 19, and Jonathan L. Burks, 30, both of Detroit, in the case. Kendall was found dead in his Wayne County Jail cell on April 20, and Street and Burks have a final conference in the case at 9 a.m. on June 16.

Prosecutors allege that Diallo Davis and the three others went to a home located in the 16800 block of Riverview in Detroit and fired shots that killed the toddler, who was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.

A 39-year-old man and a 26-year-old man who were inside in the home sustained non-fatal gunshot wounds. They were taken to local hospitals and treated for their injuries, police said.

The specific facts of the case will be presented in court.

Diallo Davis was arraigned on the following charges:

• First degree murder
• Felony murder
• Two counts of assault with intent to commit murder
• First-degree home invasion
• Discharge of a firearm in or at a building causing death
• Discharge at building causing injury
• Felon in possession of a firearm
• Felony firearm

Worthy has called the string of child shootings “an epidemic that must be stopped.”

Other shootings included the April 17 death of 6-month old Miracle Murray, who was killed by shots fired at a house on Winthrop near Clarita. Also, a 4-year-old boy was shot and and injured while riding his bicycle and his father was killed on April 24; and on May 8, a 9-year-old boy found a handgun in a neighbor’s yard and accidentally shot himself.