In a tragic and senseless act of violence, 12-year-old Kade'jah Davis, a female honor roll student, was fatally shot on January 31, 2012, in her home on the northwest side of Detroit, Michigan. The young girl's life was cut short over a dispute concerning a misplaced cell phone. On that day, a man arrived at the family's residence believing that Kade'jah's mother was in possession of a lost phone.
After she denied having the phone and closed the door, the man fired multiple shots through the door. Kade'jah was struck by the gunfire and died from her injuries.
Within hours of the shooting, police arrested 19-year-old Joshua Brown and his 35-year-old mother, Heather Brown. Investigators alleged that Joshua Brown was the individual who fired the shots and that his mother drove him away from the scene. The tragic incident stemmed from an argument over a cell phone that Joshua Brown's mother had reportedly lost.
Joshua Brown was charged with first-degree murder, and his mother, Heather Brown, was charged with being an accessory after the fact. Both initially pleaded not guilty. Heather Brown later pleaded no contest to the accessory charge and was sentenced to five years of probation in 2012. Joshua Brown's legal journey involved two trials. His first trial for first-degree murder ended in a mistrial. In a subsequent trial, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, and possession of a firearm during a felony. In January 2014, Joshua Brown was sentenced to 26 to 52 years in prison for his role in the death of Kade'jah Davis.
