Child Dead, Father Charged With Murder
Alternative content
Update: Child Dead, Father Charged With Murder...
Update: Child Dead, Father Charged With Murder
Johnson City Police Department
Christopher Alan Mitchell
Related Links
Johnson City police are still not ready to call a two year-old’s death an accident just yet. Regardless, The Washington County District Attorney’s office charged the boys father, Christopher Mitchell, with first-degree murder. Police say Mitchell’s son Jacob died from a single gunshot wound to the head Sunday night. Investigators say the toddler was shot at the Value Place Hotel in Boones Creek.
However, the boy’s father claims it was an accident. According to Mitchell’s arrest warrant, the man told police he hid his fully loaded handgun in a kitchen cabinet, a cabinet he admits the boy got into before. Mitchell said when he awoke around 10:30 Sunday night, he heard a noise that sounded like a firecracker going off.
Still, police are not completely sold on that story . Investigators are now sending evidence to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in hopes that evidence will help them determine exactly how the boy died.
“Right now we’re still trying to determine exactly what happened, whether it was accidental or what the case may be,“ Capt. Mike Street said.
According to Street, Mitchell also gave police a false name Sunday night and hid his handgun before they arrived.
A day later, neighbor Chris Miller shared his memories of the victim.
“Beautiful kid, beautiful smile, just happy, didn’t have a care in the world,“ Miller said.
The Value Place resident says both his family and the Mitchell’s lived on the same floor. Miller may not have known the family by name, but he says the two family’s kids often played together. In fact, just hours before yesterday’s shooting, Miller says his son and Jacob Mitchell played on the elevator as the two dads shared a brief conversation.
“The kid, he was happy as can be, playing with my little boy,“ Miller said. “(Christopher Mitchell) seemed like an alright guy.
Hours later, Miller says he awoke to the flashing cameras of detectives. He later learned his young neighbor was dead.
“It’s devastating,“ Miller said. “I can’t believe it.“
Although the boy’s death remains a mystery to police, District Attorney Tony Clark says Mitchell can still be charged with first-degree murder. Even if Mitchell didn’t physically kill his son, Clark says the man can still be charged with that severe of a crime because his neglect lead to the boy’s death. In addition to the murder charge, police say Mitchell is also charged with tampering with evidence, as a result of hiding the firearm used in the incident, and criminal impersonation, for identifying himself with a false name Sunday night.
As a side note, police say Mitchell did not have a permit to carry a handgun. Meanwhile, the Value Place Hotel says when the man moved in, as part of hotel policy, he signed a statement agreeing to the hotel’s “no gun” policy.
View Larger Map
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Someone said on here that:
GOD dont forgive baby killers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I disagree. GOD forgives all of us.
letitgo, you need to do just that…Let It Go! You obviously are not as smart as you think, and many people posting have proved that! This is pure ignorance on the parents behalf and the poor child suffered because of it. That is undeniable! Part of being a parent is insuring the safety of your child, when your with them or away. If someone is wanted by the police, father or not, you don’t let your child go with them period! When you’re old enough to make a baby, you’re old enough to leave mommy and daddy and take care of that child. Like it or not, THAT’S YOUR JOB AS A PARENT!!!! It’s sad that there’s another baby on the way, these two never deserved the one they had.
and for you peacemaker, thank you for serving our country 
Felones do not have the rite to have guns plus if it was my child I would have died rite ther with him GOD dont forgive baby killers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1st of all chris is a non convicted felon and 2nd I have known the Whites my whole life and I know chris and he is a bad person.SW&RW;are very good parents and always have been!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
letitgo, (who obviously isn’t), I don’t know if the parents were married, doesn’t make any difference, if my son-in-law or grandchild’s birth father was running from warrants, the law, or any illegal activity, he would not be welcome in my home either. We are law abiding people. I would have my child or grandchildren with me. But common sense tells me that this man would not only not be allowed around my home but also not around my grandchildren. I don’t know where you are coming from, I don’t know how old you are, and I don’t think any of us have all the facts, yet. There is no sane reason a child should be exposed to a loaded gun in the home where it can be easily gotten to. You must stop acting as if no one is guilty for this happening. It may have been a horrible accident, but it was one that could have been prevented, if proven it was an accident. I feel much sorrow for all involved in this tragedy, for their loss. But I have no sympathy for the parents, don’t tell me the mother didn’t know there was a gun in the home. Another precious baby gone due to neglect.
to all of you know it alls that keep asking where the mother was she was being a responsible parent and at WORK which is something half you people dnt do. and if heather had REAL LOVING PARENTS THEY WOULD NOT HAVE KICKED HER OUT ON THE STREETS….... if they where as good as parents as all of you think you are and so perfect then y would you kick your child out to the curb. so to the RW AND SW YOU NEED TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND THEN YOU WILL SEE THE REAL KILLER…............
To All of you who THINK you know something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! None of you have any right to make comments…
I aim a member of this FAMILY and let me tell you a little bit about it. JACOB will always be LOVED just like he was during his life and chris made a horrible mistake and will have to live with the rest or his life but all of you are and your comments are not helping anyone!!!! Let me guess non of you have ever done anything wrong have you as a parent or otherwise. None of you know the story but i do and let me tell you if it were your family would you want this happening to you. Heather has lost her child and all you worry about is where she was… Chris and Heather do not deserve any of this how about all of you rant ravers leave them alone and let them heal!!!
I have a 8 year old big boy and I also own many kinds of guns.I keep my firearms unloaded and under lock and key!I talk to my son all the time about the dangers of guns,knifes,or any kind of weapon.My boy came to me and asked ‘why do you reckon God chose to take that little baby?How do you answer that?Also does faith let you belive that this is Gods WILL?I know the mother and her parents and they are good pepole!They do not deserve this in that matter no one deserves this to happen.
M22……your right on target. I find it very difficult to defend chirs michell, mistake or not. chirs let that little boy lay and suffer pain that none of us know while he tried to better his own situation by trying to dispose of the gun and take on a false name. Boy that shows a real loving father don’t it. Someone said he was afraid of the police is the reason he attempted to destroy the “Crime Scene.” If these folks truly loved chirs they would have not hid him from the police but taken him to the police for his crimes to society and gave him assistance in having a better life whether chris choose it or not but they choose to do nothing or so little that it made no difference. In some eyes it appears chirs can victimize you and I and it’s okay and we shouldn’t judge him and we should just look down to the ground and take it. We all are judged and we’ll all stand before our God to be judged. Now that chirs is forced into the spotlight due to the untimely death of an innocent, beautiful, God like little boy, who just wanted to jump in those mud puddles feel the need to defend him on what a good father they believe he is. Well it is there believe not necessarily mine. If that so called “simple little parole violation” warrant had been served, chris would be in jail where he should be, little Jacob would be alive today to stomp in those mud puddles. I feel the defenders of chris feel some responsibility for the death of Jacob. I guess I’m blind to such things they talk about due to me not living with people that have to run from the police. I choose to live better. I can’t imagine having the feeling I have to hide from the police when it is them that protect us.
The mother was working at the time of this traggic moment.Why did Mr.Mitchell have the gun cocked and ready to fire?I know that baby could not have loaded the chamber on his own.Also ‘sleeping’ while the child is up running around,while the mother is working to support his lazy non responsable—-.God dont forgive child killers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Advertisement