Aiden Smith, a 15-year-old resident of La Crescenta, California, tragically passed away on December 17, 2019. Aiden was a student at Crescenta Valley High School, where his death deeply affected the school community. The cause of his death was determined to be suicide. On that day, Aiden accessed a firearm that was locked in a safebox at his home. He managed to guess the code, which was his mother's birth year, and used the gun to fatally shoot himself.
This incident was particularly heartbreaking as it was the second time Aiden had found a gun in the home. Previously, he had discovered his mother's LAPD-issued firearm, which led to a report of neglect to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
Aiden's parents, both of whom were Los Angeles police officers, were devastated by his death. His father, Johnny Smith, and his older sister, Reily, filed a lawsuit against the county and the city in 2022. They argued that DCFS caseworkers and the LAPD should have taken more stringent measures to ensure that Aiden could not access another firearm, especially given his known suicidal tendencies and previous access to a gun. The lawsuit highlighted the responsibilities of law enforcement officers to secure their firearms, just as private citizens are required to do.
In response to the lawsuit, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed to a $495,000 settlement to be paid to Aiden's father and sister. The settlement was intended to address the failures in the system that allowed Aiden to access the firearm. The district attorney's office decided not to bring charges against Aiden's mother for criminal storage of a firearm and child abuse, concluding that she had taken the situation seriously and that leaving her gun unsecured was not typical behavior for her.
The case underscored the importance of firearm safety and the need for better mental health support for young people. Aiden had been suffering from severe mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts and hallucinations, which were known to multiple agencies. Despite these warnings, the measures taken to protect him were insufficient, leading to a tragic outcome. The settlement and the ongoing discussions with the city of Los Angeles aimed to bring some measure of justice and closure to Aiden's family while highlighting the critical need for systemic changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
