An Indiana mother is facing the fight of her life after prosecutors say her 2-year-old son got hold of her handgun and accidentally killed himself in front of his 9-year-old sister.
On June 19, 28-year-old Keiara Bickett pulled into the parking lot of a CVS on East 46th Street in Indianapolis with her two kids in tow. Court documents say her purse was sitting unzipped when her toddler, Javarius Bickett, reached inside. What he pulled out was no toy; it was a loaded 9mm Glock Model 26 Gen 5.
Before anyone could stop him, Javarius allegedly fired a single shot. The bullet struck him in the head as his horrified sister watched. Bickett frantically called 911, but by the time the boy was rushed to a nearby hospital, doctors could not save him.
UPDATE: Indy mother charged with neglect after her son shot & killed himself with her gun loses custody of her daughter, at least temporarily. Keiara Bickett cried in court Friday morning when judge issued a no contact order with her 9-yr-old daughter. pic.twitter.com/PsEi569pIa
— Rich Nye (@RichNye13) September 5, 2025
The very next day, prosecutors charged Bickett with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a felony that carries a possible 20 to 40-year prison sentence. At a hearing on Friday, a judge added another devastating blow, issuing a no-contact order between Bickett and her 9-year-old daughter, who was traumatized by witnessing her brother’s final moments.
The girl is now staying with her grandmother at least until September 22, when the judge will revisit the case after hearing from the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Bickett, in tears, sat in court as the order was announced.
UPDATE: Keiara Bickett made initial court appearance this morning. She is charged with felony neglect after her 2-year-old son, Javarius, shot & killed himself with a gun he found in her unzipped purse. The judge took a no contact order for Bickett’s daughter under advisement. pic.twitter.com/7bnsnlMiOY
— Rich Nye (@RichNye13) August 22, 2025
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears did not mince words about what he sees as the bigger issue. “Until our state requires basic licensing and training for gun owners, families will remain at risk,” he said after the boy’s death. “Safe storage and responsible gun ownership are not optional; it’s a matter of life and death.”
The case has reignited debate in Indiana about whether lawmakers are doing enough to prevent tragedies involving unsecured firearms and children.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office formally charged two parents in separate incidents in which a 2-year-old got ahold of a gun and fatally shot themself in Indianapolis.
JUNE INCIDENT: https://t.co/wBmuM8jOLU
JULY INCIDENT: https://t.co/9gZk14koc3 pic.twitter.com/W1V15Lk64w
— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) August 20, 2025
While prosecutors push ahead, Bickett’s family is pleading for compassion. Her mother, Melissa Etheridge, insists the shooting was a tragic accident and not the act of a criminal. “It was an absolute accident,” Etheridge told local outlet WTHR. “She may have had negligence for not having the gun in a safe place, but she would never harm any of her children. She loves her kids to death. It’s tearing me up. It’s tearing her daughter up.”
Etheridge says her daughter is being unfairly portrayed. “I know she should have punishment for what happened, but that’s just too much. Everybody’s painting a picture of her that she’s an evil person. She is a great mother.”
Bickett’s jury trial is currently scheduled to begin on November 18. If convicted, the 28-year-old could spend much of her life behind bars.
For now, a mother is left grieving her son, separated from her daughter, and staring down decades in prison, all over a single moment in a CVS parking lot that changed everything.
Its a very sad situation. My heart goes out to the entire family. My condolences through a massive tragedy. Unfortunately the law is starting to make parents accountable for being careless!! Its true it was an accident, She may have forgotten it was there, as parents we are so busy we dont have time to think sometimes. But there is a toddler, a baby boy, an innocent victim who is now gone and a big sister who witnessed the whole incident. At her age this will surely affect this little girl for her entire life. This has ruined an entire family. I do however think the sentence would be way to harsh of a sentence. So much trauma in a few short minutes. There is a lot of responsibility that comes with carrying a gun. Sadly we all see the mother is sad and remorseful and can’t even believe this has happened!!! I know one thing for sure a toddler will get into everything they can put their little hands on. Gun Safety should always be in the front of your mind no matter what!! The world has gotten so bad that people have to carry weapons, people are getting shot, Children are accidently shooting themselves and others. Its really out of control and sadly this mother is going to have to pay a heavy price. Not only her time in prison but she also has to deal with the passing away of her son and a memory she will never erase from her mind for the rest of her life. Im so sorry this has happened to your family.