Man Who Shot, Paralyzed Teen Mom, Abandoned Her Roadside Faces New Charges, Officials Say

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Georgia man who is accused of shooting a woman in his car and dumping her on the side of the road in Morris County last year now faces federal kidnapping charges, according to the Department of Justice.

Jovan Young, 37, faces a two-count complaint with one count of kidnapping and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition following the Christmas Eve shooting.

According to court documents, Young was traveling from Georgia with India Heath, 18, to celebrate the holidays in New York. During the ride, the two got into an argument, resulting in Young shooting Heath in her abdomen, paralyzing her, officials said.

Young drove Heath around in his car for hours as she bled in his passenger seat, authorities said. Eventually, he kicked her out of the car near the intersection of Old Boonton Road and Pocono Road in Denville, police said.

Later, a Good Samaritan discovered Heath lying on the side of the road and called law enforcement to report the incident.

The anonymous person, who gave a fake name to the police, reported the shooting but was not present when first responders arrived. The good Samaritan later called the police back to check on the status of Heath.

Heath was rushed to Morristown Medical Center, where she underwent life-saving surgery. According to an affidavit of probable cause, she suffered severe damage to her liver and had a bullet lodged in her spine, and will likely be paralyzed from the waist down.

Related: Teen Mom Shot, Left To Die On NJ Roadway Christmas Eve Likely Paralyzed, Officials Say

Heath, unable to speak, wrote down the name of her shooter while in the hospital — “Jovan Clay Young,” police records show.

Heath also wrote down Young’s address, adding that he had threatened to shoot her in the head and bury her body, according to court documents.

Young was located by police in Boonton on Christmas Day packing his car with luggage. He was searched, and police found a Glock 48 handgun and 30 hollow-point bullets, authorities said. Young’s firearm had a green laser attachment, matching Heath’s description of the gun that he used to shoot her.

If convicted of the kidnapping charge alone, Heath could spend the rest of his life in prison.

According to a GoFundMe launched by Heath’s loved ones, she is the mother of a one-year-old child who is back in Georgia. Family members were seeking donations to help with medical and transportation costs to bring her home.

Read More: GoFundMe Launched For Mother, 18, Who Was Shot On NJ Street

According to a social media update by Heath's mother in February, she was in rehab and was "doing great."