Gary Mom Charged After 2-Year-Old Fatally Shot In Head

GARY, IN — The mother of a Gary toddler who was fatally shot in the head Tuesday morning was charged on Thursday in connection with her daughter's death, police said. Jayla Miller, 2, was shot around 7 p.m., Sept. 4 in the 1700 block of Polk Street, Gary, and was found by police in a room being rented by the family, WGN reported. According to officials, 22-year-old Dashana Mattica Fowler has been charged with one count of level one neglect of a dependent resulting in death and three counts of level six neglect of a dependent, WGN reported.

According to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, the toddler died around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday after police said she was taken to Methodist Hospital Northlake in Gary before being airlifted in critical condition to Comer's Children Hospital in Chicago.

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While no charges have been filed for Fowler's boyfriend, 39, who was at the location and taken in for questioning, the six counts of neglect against Fowler were for the other three children present at the time of the incident, WGN reported. The news report added that police said the shooting could have been avoided by keeping firearms away from the children.

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