In the summer of 2017, a heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Racine, Wisconsin, leading to the death of a 3-year-old African American boy named Jere’Miah Pitt. On July 12, police were called to an apartment where they discovered the young child deceased from a single gunshot wound to his chest. The circumstances surrounding his death painted a grim picture of a night that ended in unimaginable tragedy.
The person responsible for the care of Jere’Miah at the time was his 30-year-old
father, Jeffrey Pitt Jr. According to criminal complaints, Pitt Jr. informed the police that he had consumed five shots of alcohol and put on a movie for his son before he passed out. His account of the events stated that he woke up the following morning to find his son lifeless. Initially, he denied having any firearm in his possession.
As the investigation progressed, however, the narrative began to shift. Police discovered a gun concealed under Pitt Jr.'s dresser. He later admitted to owning a. 40-caliber handgun. His revised statement indicated that he had fallen asleep with the loaded weapon in his waistband while his son Jere'Miah was lying beside him. He claimed to have been so intoxicated from the alcohol that he did not feel the gun being removed nor did he hear the fatal gunshot. Upon waking to the horrific discovery of his son's death, he asked a neighbor to dispose of the firearm.
In the aftermath of the tragic event, Jeffrey Pitt Jr. faced serious legal consequences. He was charged with first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ultimately, he pleaded guilty to the charges of first-degree reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon. The court imposed a significant sentence for his actions, ordering him to serve an aggregate of 28 years in initial confinement, followed by 13 years of extended supervision.
