A father in Florida has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his 5-year-old daughter, after shooting his two children in the head as they lay in bed sleeping.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, appearing visibly shaken up, called the Monday night shootings “not only tragic, but extremely disturbing,” during a press conference the next morning.
At about 10:30 p.m., the mother of the 5-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother arrived back at her Tampa, Fla., home that she shared with her husband, just in time to kiss her kids goodnight.
“Her 5-year-old daughter giggles because she’s trying to pretend that she’s already asleep,” Chronister said.
After kissing Bothe her children, the mother left them in their room with their father, 30-year old Jermaine Bass, while she used the bathroom.
The mother said, “While I was in the bathroom, all of a sudden I heard gunshots and I fled outside. I was scared for my safety. I quickly ran to a neighbor’s house to call 911.”
When police arrived, they saw the father in the family room holding his son in his arms, saying ‘it was an accident’.
An officer said, “Deputies went upstairs only to make the gruesome discovery that there’s a 5-year-old laying in a top bunk, laying in a pool of her own blood. Like her brother, she is shot two to three times in her head.”
Both children were rushed to a nearby hospital. The 5-year old girl was pronounced dead upon arrival, and the 8-year old son remains in critical condition, still fighting to hang on to his life.
“I hope that this individual feels the full weight of the criminal justice system, and never sees the light of day where he can ever be in a position to harm another human being,” he said.
In addition to the murder charge, Bass has been charged with first-degree attempted murder and aggravated child abuse.
Jail records show Bass was denied bail. Bass’ court appearances Wednesday and Friday were waived.
