In a quiet Hendersonville, Tennessee neighborhood, the afternoon of August 8, 2016, turned tragic for 11-year-old Timea Lashay Batts. Having just completed her first day of the sixth grade at Knox Doss Middle School, Timea returned home only to be fatally shot. Her father, Timothy Batts, initially told police a shocking story: his daughter had come home saying she had been shot somewhere between the bus stop and their house.
He rushed her to a local hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries.
The initial report of a mysterious shooting in the neighborhood quickly unraveled as investigators delved deeper into the case. Within hours, the narrative shifted dramatically. Evidence found inside the Batts' home led police to believe the shooting had not occurred outside as Timothy Batts had claimed. The focus of the investigation turned to Timea's father, who was arrested in connection with his daughter's death. His initial story was replaced by a new, heartbreaking account: he had been startled by his daughter upon waking from a nap and had accidentally shot her, mistaking her for an intruder.
Timothy Batts, who was 29 at the time, was charged with reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, false reporting, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The case moved through the legal system, marked by a bond revocation for Batts after he failed a drug test. During his trial in July 2017, the jury heard emotional testimony and saw home surveillance footage showing the moments before and after the shooting. Ultimately, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the reckless homicide charge, resulting in a hung jury on that count. They did, however, find him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and not guilty of tampering with evidence. Following the trial, a plea deal was reached, and while the exact details were not immediately public, it was anticipated he would serve a sentence of three to five years, with credit for time already served.
