On January 20, 2017, four-year-old Avion Cymani Weaver tragically died in Auburndale, Florida, after accidentally shooting himself in the face. The incident occurred when Avion was left unsupervised in his family's apartment and found a loaded gun belonging to his mother's live-in boyfriend, Demeko Desean Robinson. Avion was watching TV alone when he discovered the firearm and accidentally discharged it, resulting in a fatal gunshot wound to his cheek. Despite being rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital, Avion succumbed to his injuries shortly after the incident.
The investigation revealed that Robinson was outside with friends at the time of the shooting. Initially, Robinson claimed that Avion had hit his head on a table, but upon further questioning, he admitted that there was a 9mm handgun in the apartment. The gun, which had been reported stolen from a Lakeland pawn shop, was later found hidden behind an air conditioning unit at a nearby apartment. No lockbox, as Robinson had claimed, was found in the apartment, but a sawed-off shotgun was discovered.
Robinson faced multiple charges, including aggravated manslaughter of a child, possession of a short-barreled rifle, tampering with evidence, possession of an altered firearm, and providing false information to law enforcement. After more than two years of court proceedings, Robinson was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated child neglect. The other charges were dropped, and he was sentenced to 30 days of weekend work release at the Polk County Jail, followed by five years of probation.
This tragic case highlights the dangers of unsecured firearms in homes and the devastating consequences that can result from a moment of negligence. The legal proceedings and Robinson's eventual sentencing underscore the complexities and challenges in prosecuting such cases, where the line between accident and criminal negligence can be difficult to delineate.
