In the summer of 2020, a heart-wrenching incident unfolded in a South Bend, Indiana, home, forever altering the lives of a young family. On June 18th, 1-year-old Javion Sexton, a male child, lost his life in a tragic shooting. The circumstances surrounding his death were not the result of a malicious act by a stranger, but rather an accidental discharge of a firearm by his 4-year-old sibling.
An autopsy confirmed that Javion died from a single gunshot wound, and the manner of his death was ruled accidental.
The investigation into the devastating event revealed a home where firearms and illegal drugs were left accessible to the young children. This discovery led to a grand jury issuing indictments against Javion's parents. The father, Avion Sexton Sr., then 23, was described as a Black male. The mother was identified as Eboni Hosea. In October 2020, arrest warrants were issued for both parents on charges including neglect of a dependent resulting in death and various drug-related offenses. Hosea turned herself in to the authorities and was later released on bond.
Avion Sexton Sr. was eventually apprehended and faced trial. In April 2022, a jury found the 24-year-old father guilty on a felony count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, in addition to several charges related to dealing and possessing drugs. Prosecutors argued that he had created a dangerously negligent environment by leaving deadly weapons and fentanyl within the reach of his children. In June 2022, a judge sentenced Avion Sexton Sr. to the maximum term of 40 years in prison for his role in the death of his young son. The judge, in her sentencing, highlighted the egregious nature of the circumstances, pointing out that the surviving child would have to live with the memory of pulling the trigger for the rest of his life. Eboni Hosea entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors for her role in the tragic incident.
