In the final days of 2016, a tragedy began to unfold in an Indianapolis apartment that would cut short a young life. Five-year-old D'asia Turentine, a Black female, was at home with her three-year-old brother on New Year's Eve. Their mother, Asia Turentine, had returned to the apartment and placed her purse, which contained a handgun, on her bed before putting the children down for a nap.
She then fell asleep on a couch in another room.
The quiet of the afternoon was shattered by the sound of a gunshot and the scream of a child. Asia Turentine awoke to a devastating scene: her young son had found the gun in her purse and had accidentally shot his older sister in the head. D'asia was rushed to the hospital, but her injuries were too severe. She passed away on January 2, 2017, a few days after the tragic incident.
In the aftermath of her daughter's death, Asia Turentine, who was 23 years old at the time, was arrested and faced legal consequences for the tragic event. Prosecutors charged her with two felony counts of neglect of a dependent. According to reports, Turentine told investigators that she believed the safety on the gun was engaged.
Ultimately, Asia Turentine pleaded guilty to child neglect. In July 2017, she was sentenced to a four-year suspended sentence and one year of probation. The case highlighted the devastating consequences of unsecured firearms in a home with young children, leaving a family and a community to mourn the loss of a vibrant young girl.
