In a heart-wrenching turn of events on a Saturday afternoon in St. Louis, Missouri, what began as a playful search for Easter candy ended in the tragic death of 7-year-old Jermon Perry. On March 31, 2018, while their parents were downstairs, Jermon and his brothers were on the second floor of their home in the 3100 block of California Avenue. The children's innocent hunt for hidden treats took a devastating turn when one of the boys discovered a handgun.
Believing the firearm to be a
toy, Jermon's 5-year-old brother picked it up. While Jermon was engrossed in a video game, the gun accidentally discharged, and a single shot struck him in the head. Emergency services were called to the scene and found Jermon barely conscious and breathing. He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries later that night.
The handgun belonged to Jermon's father, Jericho Perry, who legally owned it and possessed a license to carry. The family expressed their profound shock and grief, stating they never imagined the children would find the weapon. St. Louis homicide detectives investigated the incident, focusing on how the children gained access to the firearm and the circumstances of the supervision at the time of the shooting. Although the investigation was active, initial reports indicated that no charges had been filed in connection with the accidental shooting. The devastating incident left a family mourning the loss of a young boy and his siblings grappling with a tragedy they were too young to fully comprehend.
