In the quiet town of Jennings, Louisiana, a playful and laughter-filled five-year-old Black/African American boy named Adaun DaQuantae Gaines lost his life in a sudden and tragic shooting on January 19, 2023. The incident unfolded at a home where Adaun and four other young children were under the care of a babysitter, Desome Daniels. The mother of some of the children, Kurstin Richard, had entrusted Daniels with their supervision.
However, Adaun's mother was reportedly unaware of this arrangement.
During the time the children were with Daniels, a firearm was discharged, and young Adaun was fatally wounded. Approximately 15 minutes passed before a neighbor was asked by Daniels to call the police. In that critical time, Daniels allegedly attempted to hide the gun, which was later discovered to be a stolen firearm found in Richard's bedroom, and also concealed marijuana he had been smoking. When law enforcement arrived, they found the injured child and rushed him to the hospital, but tragically, he was pronounced dead about an hour later.
The investigation that followed led to the arrests of both Desome Daniels and Kurstin Richard. Daniels faced a series of charges, including principal to negligent homicide, cruelty to juveniles, improper supervision of a minor, obstruction of justice, and possession of a stolen firearm. Richard was charged with principal to negligent homicide, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a stolen firearm, as she was on probation for a prior felony conviction for possession of a stolen firearm at the time of the incident. The two were booked into the Jeff Davis Parish jail.
The community mourned the loss of a child described as loving to laugh and be silly, a boy whose hero was Spiderman and whose cousins were his best friends. His family remembered his infectious smile and adventurous heart, a bright light extinguished far too soon. A celebration of his life was held, and he was laid to rest, leaving behind a grieving family to cherish his memory.
