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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why was this baby rummaging around in the cabinets @ 10:30 @ night?
Accident or not, I agree with most of the posters here that having a loaded gun in reach of a young child is beyond a stupid mistake. I’ve never had a gun in my home, so it makes me wonder why someone would have the need to have quick access to a loaded weapon in the first place. The only people that I’ve ever known to keep loaded guns within reach are usually involved in some sort of risky behavior that puts them in contact with other unsavory characters that may try to harm them at a moments notice. Either way it’s not a safe environment for a young child.
Surely daddywickett, if you did not personally know this man, you would also be saying what a terrible, what an asinine thing to do, to leave a loaded gun in a place where the child had gotten into before, knowing, if you have any sense at all, that the child would most likely get in there again. I think that is the point that most people are making. You can’t protect children from everything every second of the day or night but you can make common sense decisions about things in your control.
For those who did not know Jacob nor know chris and heather. Mitch loved Jacob more than anything. He changed his life to be Jacobs father. none of you know of his trials and tribulations nor do you know the pain that will never again raise from his heart. If any of you did you would pray for chris and his family that their hearts may heal. as for his lying to the police. this was done out of fear. when mitch was young he made some mistakes which gave him reason to fear the police and his biggest fear was that he would be taken away from his son because of a simple violation of probation. Mitch has a great heart and anyone who knows him will tell you the same. he didnt make the correct decisions sunday and i can tell you that he would trade places with jacob if god would allow it. do not hate this man. he now feels a pain you cannot imagine. he understands that it was his mistake that lead to this event and i would love to know how you as spectators would cope with that. a stupid mistake that destroyed your entire world and reason for living. and then to have the whole world look at you like a heartless beast. I’ve known chris and his family almost my entire life. my heart is broken but i do not hate chris, that would be too much with what he is going through now. understand that this man lost his joy, love, heart, and soul when he lost jacob. trust in my words that he could never hurt jacob and did not. i would bet my own life on that. to his family i love you guys and i hope this hurt can leave your hearts and you can remember jacob not with sadness but as i see him. the happy little boy stomping in mud puddles, running across my yard, father and son with so much love for one another. my heart hurts for you mitch. stay strong and know that the people that know you still love you and will always be here for you. (now you know a little about the man you all have comments for, try to keep your comments as if jesus spoke them, and not those of an uninformed critic. god knows all, that is why he does the judging if it be leaft to man noone would see the beauty of heaven.
those who judge him for this shall be judged themselves we where not there we CANNOT say what happened he is a great father
Yeah, cut the poor guy some slack.
I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation why he had a fully loaded gun, in a hotel where he signed agreeing to no guns, without a permit, in a cabinet the child has got into before, and why he had hidden the gun and gave a fake name to police. Give the guy some slack, he said it was an accident, why does everyone have to be so negative. Clearly this was a tragic accident and no charges should be placed.
Arestido….I see that you have already tried and convicted the man. He claimed it was an accident….if by chance it was, imagine how he is feeling right now. Just pray for the families and let the judge and jury handle the rest.
My family will be praying for this child’s family. I can’t imagine the loss of a child in this nature! I pray for peace during you time of loss!
This is such a tragedy. We are friends of the child’s maternal grandparents and naturally they are just torn. Please keep this family in your prayers.
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