In the summer of 2021, a bright and bubbly 13-year-old Black/African American girl named DaMya Shyann Hudnall lost her life in a tragic and preventable incident in Topeka, Kansas. On the morning of June 12th, while at her home, DaMya was struck by a bullet from a handgun. The events that led to this fatal moment began when a family guest, DeJuan Yelverton, who had been staying at the residence, carelessly left his loaded handgun on top of the refrigerator.
The unsecured weapon was within
reach of a small child in the home who, it is believed, used a chair to climb up and retrieve the firearm. The child then unintentionally discharged the weapon, and the bullet struck DaMya in the head as she was in the living room. She was rushed to a local hospital and placed on life support, but her injuries were too severe. DaMya Shyann Hudnall passed away on June 13, 2021.
In the aftermath of the devastating event, DeJuan Yelverton was arrested and faced multiple charges, including first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment, for his role in the death of DaMya. Investigators determined that his negligence in leaving a loaded firearm accessible to a child directly led to the fatal shooting. Yelverton, who was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction, pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon by a felon. For the death of DaMya, he faced a trial to determine his culpability in the tragic loss of a young life cut short.
