In a quiet home in Rockwood, Tennessee, the life of a bright-eyed four-year-old girl named Evangeline Gunter was tragically cut short. On an August day in 2023, the young female was fatally shot in the chest. The person responsible was a woman who was supposed to be caring for her, 25-year-old Breanna Runions. Runions initially told investigators that the shooting was a tragic accident, a gun safety lesson gone horribly wrong.
According to Runions' initial account, she had removed the
magazine from a handgun and was demonstrating firearm safety to young Evangeline when the gun discharged. However, the investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the 9th Judicial District Attorney General's office painted a much darker picture. It was revealed that another child was present in the room and witnessed the horrific event. This child's account contradicted Runions' story, leading to more serious charges.
Further investigation led to Breanna Runions being charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. She was taken into custody and held on a $1.5 million bond. At the time of her death, Evangeline was in the care of a friend of her mother, Josie Gunter, who was working to secure a stable home and transportation for her children. The community was left heartbroken by the senseless loss of a child who was described as a happy little girl with a smile that could brighten anyone's day.
