In the summer of 2017, a tragedy unfolded in Memphis, Tennessee, resulting in the death of a young boy. Three-year-old Cash Wilkerson, a Black male also known as Kash, died on July 8, 2017, after accidentally shooting himself in the head. The incident occurred inside his family's apartment in the 3600 block of Duchess Drive North at the New Horizons apartment complex. The child discovered his father's gun, which was reportedly in a case, and the weapon discharged.
Emergency services were called to the scene, and Cash was rushed to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in critical condition, but he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
The investigation into the little boy's death quickly focused on his father, Cortez Wilkerson. Investigators reported inconsistencies in the accounts he provided about the shooting, stating that his descriptions of the events were not supported by the physical evidence. Wilkerson initially claimed that he was awakened by the sound of a gunshot and found his son with a gunshot wound to his forehead as the boy lay on his lap. However, authorities came to believe that Cortez Wilkerson was the only person who could have fired the gun.
In the aftermath of his son's death, Cortez Wilkerson faced a series of serious charges that shifted over time. Initially, he was charged with reckless homicide, along with drug and weapons charges. These charges were soon upgraded to first-degree murder and aggravated child neglect. A grand jury indicted him on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child neglect, aggravated child endangerment, and aggravated child abuse. In a turn of events, a judge later dismissed the first-degree murder charge, reducing it to reckless homicide due to a perceived lack of evidence. However, the prosecution persisted, and a grand jury reinstated the first-degree murder charge, allowing the case to proceed toward a trial.
