'I'm not a bad mother': Detroit family mourns 5-year-old killed in unsecured gun shooting
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A vigil and balloon release was held for the 5-year-old-boy who accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun in his Detroit home. His parents, who have been charged in his death and are out on bond, were in attendance Friday night.
According to Detroit police, Sturlin Minion Jr. managed to get a hold of his mother's gun and fatally shot himself in the face while jumping on his bed on Dec. 9. Five other children were inside the apartment during the incident; neither the mother nor the father were home at the time.
The child's mother, Halisa Brown, said she wants people to know she is not a neglectful mother.
"I’m not a bad mother. I’m not an unfit mother. It was an honest mistake," Brown said. It was an honest mistake that I’m going regret for the rest of my life."
The family event was held at the apartment building off Greenfield Road, near McNichols, where the shooting took place.
Minion was lovingly nicknamed "Munch" by his family. He liked cars and video games.
His death is hitting his sister, Lily, the hardest. She is 7 years old.
"Just last night, she woke up, like, 'auntie, oh my god, I can't sleep. I remember, I remember. I hear it,’" the children's aunt, Alecia Johnson, said.
Johnson is now taking care of all five children: one eight-year-old, two seven-year-olds, a four-year-old, and a 2-month-old.
"They are triggered by everything," Johnson said. "When we pulled up here, they wanted to be here, but literally every kid started crying."
The family is trying to keep the children all together, somewhere familiar, but it is a lot for Johnson – who is also grieving while trying to stay strong.
While Minion's funeral has been covered by an anonymous source, A GoFundMe has been created to assist Johnson
"My nephew should’ve never been able to get to no gun," she said. There were "five other kids in there. It could’ve been a worse tragedy than we're experiencing right now. I could’ve been saying goodbye to multiple nieces and nephews."
Father of Detroit 5-year-old dead from accidental shooting pleads for people to secure their guns
"If you’re going to keep a firearm, please have it up safely and properly with the locks on it and everything," Sturlin Minion Sr. said after his son got ahold of a gun in an apartment.
The parents, Brown and Sturlin Minion Sr. were charged with involuntary manslaughter, three counts of second degree child abuse, and four counts of felony firearm. They are currently out on $250,000 personal bonds.
"I’m hurt. I’m angry," Brown said.
FOX 2: If you could say one thing to him right now, what would you say to him?
Lily: "I love you."
Anyone who is able to donate to Minion Jr.'s siblings, click here.