On July 31, 2021, Serenity Robinson, a 5-year-old girl from Columbus, OH, tragically died after accidentally shooting herself with an unsecured firearm in her home. The incident occurred around 9:45 a.m. at the family's residence on the Northeast Side of Columbus. Serenity was rushed to Nationwide Children's Hospital, but despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries.
Following the incident, Columbus police homicide detectives conducted an investigation and presented their
findings to the Franklin County Prosecutor's office. A Franklin County grand jury subsequently issued indictments against Serenity's parents, Antwan Robinson and Breana Mathews . Antwan Robinson was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of felony child endangerment, and one count of having weapons under disability. Breana Mathews faced one count each of involuntary manslaughter and felony child endangerment. Both parents were arrested without incident by a Columbus police SWAT team.
In May 2023, Antwan Robinson pleaded guilty to first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter and third-degree felony possessing weapons under disability. He was sentenced to an indefinite prison term of 18 to 22 years. Breana Mathews pleaded guilty to third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to four years of probation, with specific conditions including no contact with Robinson and mandatory parenting classes.
The tragic death of Serenity Robinson has been classified as a homicide due to the circumstances involving the unsecured firearm and the parents' legal responsibility. The case highlights the critical importance of firearm safety, especially in households with young children.
