On a tragic afternoon in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 26, 2026, the life of 7-month-old Kiyomi Parker was cut short by a single gunshot. The incident occurred inside a home in the 8400 block of North Broadway, where a gathering of children would turn into the scene of an unimaginable calamity. Responding officers, in a desperate attempt to save the infant, rushed her to a hospital in their police vehicle, but Kiyomi was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The initial investigation into the girl's death quickly revealed a startling and heartbreaking scenario that would send shockwaves through the community and draw national attention.
The investigation uncovered that the person who pulled the trigger was a 10-year-old boy. He had reportedly found a handgun that was stored under a mattress in the home. Tragically, he fired the weapon, striking the infant. In the wake of the shooting, the 10-year-old was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder in juvenile court. Due to his age, his name has not been publicly released, and under Missouri law, he cannot be tried as an adult. The focus of the investigation also turned to the owner of the firearm and the circumstances that allowed a child to gain access to it.
The baby's father, 19-year-old Ca'Marion Pawnell of East St. Louis, was also arrested in connection with his daughter's death. Authorities allege that the gun belonged to him and that he had negligently left it unsecured in the residence. Pawnell now faces a litany of serious charges, including second-degree murder and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The case has highlighted the devastating consequences of unsecured firearms and has left a family and community to grapple with the loss of a child and the profound legal and emotional ramifications for two other young lives now caught in the justice system. As the legal proceedings for both the 10-year-old and Ca'Marion Pawnell are in their early stages, the full scope of justice and any potential convictions or sentences remain to be determined.
