Inset: Javarius Bickett (WTHR). Background: Keiara Bickett cries in Marion County, Indiana, court on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025 (WTHR).Â
An Indiana woman is accused of allowing her 2-year-old son to gain access to her gun and shoot himself in the head, which killed him.
Keiara Bickett, 28, has been charged with neglect of a dependent – resulting in death, Marion County court records show.
During a hearing on Friday, a judge issued a no-contact order for Bickett”s 9-year-old daughter, who witnessed her brother’s fatal shooting in June, according to local NBC affiliate WTHR.
On June 19, Bickett was in the parking lot of the CVS in the 2300 block of East 46th Street in Indianapolis. There, her son, Javarius Bickett, allegedly reached into her unzipped purse and pulled out a 9mm Glock Model 26 Gen 5 handgun, the outlet reported. Before the mother or her daughter knew what was happening, the little boy fired a shot, which hit him in the head.
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Keiara Bickett called 911 to report her son’s injuries, but he was pronounced dead after arriving at a nearby hospital, authorities say. Court records show she was charged the next day.
“Until our state requires basic licensing and training for gun owners, families will remain at risk,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said following the shooting. “Safe storage and responsible gun owner are not optional — it’s a matter of life and death.”
The mother cried in court after the judge announced the no-contact order. The daughter’s grandmother will care for her until at least Sept. 22, when the judge will listen to the Indiana Department of Child Services and consider the no-contact order again, WTHR reported.
Keiara Bickett’s jury trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 18. She could face between 20 to 40 years in prison if convicted as charged.
Bickett’s mother believes the possible punishment is too much for an “accident.”
“It was an absolute accident,” Melissa Etheridge said, according the local TV station. “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.”
The defendant’s mother added:Â “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.”
