Camron Michelle Dawn Wallace
Prosecutor Charlie Minor on Tuesday afternoon asked a Criminal Court jury to "hold the parents responsible" for the death of their two-year-old daughter who was shot by her five-year-old step-brother.
But defense attorneys said Thomas "Butch" Wallace, 25, and Samantha "Sambo" Wallace, 28, "are already serving life sentences" of remorse in connection with the death of Camron Michelle Dawn Wallace.
She was shot to death on July 12, 2010, on Tinsley Place off E. 19th Street.
Stacie Hawk, the first EMT on the scene, said firefighters had already been giving CPR to the child when she arrived. She said she took over with advanced life support, though the child was not breathing. She said the girl had no pulse when she arrived at Children's Hospital and was pronounced dead.
The girl had a single gunshot wound to the left chest.
Detectives said Ms. Wallace told them that the boy had been taking a nap in their bedroom because a window in his room was broken. She said she was fixing lunch for the boy, Camron and another daughter in the afternoon when she heard a gunshot.
She said she first thought it was a noise outside, then the other girl came and told her that Camron was bleeding.
Ms. Wallace said she rushed outside with the child, while calling 911 and looking for help. The husband was not at home at the time.
She said her husband had put the handgun in a drawer in a nightstand because they were concerned about reports of home invasions in the area. She said about a week earlier some black males had come on their porch at a late hour.
She said her husband had moved the gun the night before from a closet shelf so it would be easier to get to in the event of a break-in.
However, police said the husband said he had moved the gun three days before.
Detective Justin Kilgore said Thomas Wallace was so distraught at the hospital that he could hardly talk. Ms. Wallace was so beside herself that she was throwing up, it was stated.
During the testimony Tuesday, both defendants appeared to be crying at times.
Detective James Tate said he found the drawer in the nightstand open. He said the gun was a Colt 45 replica that required cocking before pulling the trigger. He said there were five live rounds and one spent one.
He said there was a shotgun standing up in one corner of the bedroom. It was found to be inoperable.
The shot went through the child's body and into a mattress.
Police said the mother stated that the children were familiar with guns, but she "thought they knew better" than to be playing with them.
She said the boy once had a 22 rifle and had gone hunting with his father. He said the child had shot that gun several times. She said the other girl in the family also once had a gun. She said those guns had been pawned.
Defense attorney Dan Ripper said the handgun was the only protection the family had. He said they did not have the money for a security system or for bars on the windows.
Stephen Brown is the other defense attorney.
Judge Stern would not allow the jury to hear testimony that the mother had marijuana in her blood.
She also did not allow testimony that the mother had a domestic violence conviction and was not suppose to be around guns.