Child Dead, Father Charged With Murder
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Update: Child Dead, Father Charged With Murder...
Update: Child Dead, Father Charged With Murder
Johnson City Police Department
Christopher Alan Mitchell
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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.
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Reader Reactions
This is such a tragic story. My heart goes out to the family of this baby. The circumstances sound fishy to me, however, I don’t know the father and it’s not up to me to judge. I am sure the authorities are looking at every angle of this and the truth will prevail and if need be justice will be served. I hate this for the family it is such a tragedy when someone dies but it is always worse when it is a baby. I know this baby is in heaven and I hope that brings some comfort to the family. May God ease your pain and comfort your hearts. I will be praying for you.
Why do they put maps in these articles? Are we supposed to drive by after church or something? If this were my family, I don’t think I would want anyone coming over to investigate the crime scene.
And might I add This goes to the family of this child…My heart and my prayers are with you. There are no words to make what has happen easy..But God will lead the way.
I know this is a land of innocent untill proven guilty BUT….How many pounds of pressure does it take to pull the trigger of a weapon? 5 to 8 pounds depending on the weapon used, That’s with your arm extented straight out. When you fold your arm or bend it that requires more muscle. Ok lets take in the factor of the firearm itself. How heavy was the weapon? I am a weapons specialist, Fired more weapons than most in a lifetime. I know the ins and out of alot of weapons. This whole thing stinks in a bad way and I know the investigation will show it. Besides who would put their child in a situation to find a LOADED weapon. Much more who would LEAVE their child after the fact of a discharge..I’m Sorry folks this whole thing stinks!
To the Grandparents”(RW&SW;)me and Rachael are praying for you and for Heather.I cant stress how sorry I am.If thier is any thing me or my family can do PLEASE ask!!!!!! I still have the same phone# call me.I need your address if I may? Love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and this guy, Christopher Mitchell, doesn’t deserve to be called a father! He only made a little boy, that he took away, a father would never do that!!!!
I just don’t see how this could be an accident!! How could a 2 year old just shoot himself in the head? seems suspicious to me..remember- this is MY opinion!
Why was this so-called father sleeping at 10:30 while his 2 year old was messing in a cabinet, where he knew he could get the loaded gun??
Why did he leave his 2 year old alone in the hotel room with a gunshot to his head? and give the police false info.?? If it were an accident, I would think he would stay with the child, until someone got there to help? I hope the tests conclude exactly how this poor baby died.
Regardless, this father should receive the maximum sentence, he was supposed to take care of this helpless baby.
I will pray for the family of this baby, for I know their pain.
you have to be joking when it comes to saying this man is a good father! Good fathers don’t leave loaded handguns where 2 year olds can get to them! This is blatant neglect and I hope they literally hang this guy!
This is actually the first time I have ever posted a comment on here but this story just seems to break my heart….First of all I just have a few questions for the one who seems to know the father…If he is a caring father and loved this child as much as he says he does, WHY would you place a LOADED gun where the child could possibly be remotely close to seeing, reaching, or touching it??? As a parent myself and speaking for my husband who is a great father if my child is awake we are awake as well…my child is 8 years old and I honestly couldn’t imagine sleeping while my 2 year old was roaming around knowing that there was a loaded gun around….If the gun was loaded, why would you have it ready to fire in this situation….That was NOT GOOD THINKING FROM A PARENT…I do not know any of the family involved in this but I want them to know my prayers are with them and the mother of this poor child I am very sorry for your loss, I know your heart has been ripped out and stomped on…I think the justice system should thoroughly investigate this case and may justice be served for this poor little boy!!! God Bless…
to daddywicket. you say you’ve known chris most of his life. this surely can’t account for the last few years in which he has accumulated 16 warrants for his arrest, failed to keep a job, and been evicted from numerous homes. or perhaps you are aware of this and that is the “change” he made for jacob and his being a loving father. the outstanding warrants might be the reason for the lies but could he have also lied because he had just killed his son and was trying to cover all his tracks. and by the way, since when has parole violation been a “simple matter”. you say he loved jacob with all his heart. have you not read the article that indicates chris left jacob in the hotel room with a gunshot wound to the head and was attempting to leave the scene. are you aware he did not even ride in the ambulance with his son as he lay dying. this man you speak so highly and lovingly is a cold blooded evil person and does not deserve kindness. you say you see a boy and his loving father stomping through mud puddles. i see a dead 2 yr. old killed by his father, lying alone, as he has from the time he was shot to his time in the ambulance to now in the morgue. And don’t simply throw out for others to speak as Jesus would when you have taken a clearly biased approach. you shouldnt ask others to speak with an open unbiased opinion when you haven’t. your the uninformed critic. in fact you a hypocrite. again, you say you’ve known chris most of his life. I’ve know jacob all his life. both years of it. chris’s callous, unfathomable act has taken him from us forever. and now no one will ever see him do anything again. my suspicion is it will be determined that chris purposefully killed jacob and then I’d like to here your post regarding the loving, father you think chris is.
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