Detroit Grandmother, Grandson Charged in Fatal Shooting of Boy, 13

DETROIT, MI – A Detroit grandmother and her 13-year-old grandson were charged in the death of a teenager who was fatally shot Monday with the grandmother’s loaded handgun, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Wednesday.

Two grandchildren of Lise Cox, 58, were at her home on the 4300 block of Tireman Street Monday when Detroit schools were canceled for a snow day. They reportedly invited a friend, Emarjae “EJ” Watkins, 13, to play video games. He was fatally shot in the back around 1 p.m. while Cox’s 13-year-old grandson was playing her handgun.

The youth was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.

Cox kept the loaded handgun on the floor beneath a dresser in her bedroom and “was aware that both of her grandsons knew the location of the weapon and the ammunition,” Worthy said in a news release.

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Cox is charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter (grossly negligent storage/maintenance of a handgun, resulting in death); two counts of second-degree child abuse (knowingly committing an act likely to cause serious harm, one count for each grandson); and felony firearm. Her arraignment was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in 36th District Court in Detroit.

Her 13-year-old grandson, who hasn’t been named, was charged as a juvenile with manslaughter – death by weapon aimed with intent, but not malice; felony firearm; and careless discharge causing injury or death.

In a preliminary hearing, Referee Leslie Graves set his bond at $7,500/10 percent. A pretrial hearing before Judge Frank Szymanski will be held at 9 a.m. Dec. 16 in the Lincoln Hall of Justice.

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