Police: Cousin killed boy found in trash
Posted on 06/17/2002 11:52:25 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Police: Cousin killed boy found in trash
06/17/2002
The investigation into how a 12-year-old Irving boy accidentally killed his cousin and how the boy's body ended up in a trash bin outside his grandmother's apartment complex will continue Monday, officials said.
Grand Prairie police determined Sunday that 8-year-old Cordell Wade Johnson II was shot and killed at the complex by his 12-year-old cousin, with whom he had been playing video games before his disappearance, authorities said.
The cousin, who was not identified because of his age, gave investigators information that led to the discovery of a small-caliber pistol used in the shooting, a statement released Sunday by investigators read.
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"What we do believe has happened here is a horrible accidental shooting involving two boys who were playing with a gun," Sgt. Alan Patton told WFAA-TV (Channel 8). "It doesn't appear that we have an intentional act."
Police said they would release no further details Sunday pending further investigation into "circumstances surrounding this apparent accidental shooting." Investigators did not return calls Sunday.
However, many questions remained.
Police have not explained how the accident occurred, how the boy obtained a gun or how the body ended up in the trash bin outside the grandmother's apartment.
"It appears what we have here is a 12-year-old who accidentally shot his cousin and may have done some things he wouldn't have done otherwise," Sgt. Patton said.
One mystery police say they have solved is how many times Cordell was shot. The Dallas County medical examiner's office had reported that the boy had multiple gunshot wounds; police say it's now believed that one bullet went through the boy's hand and face.
The grandmother was not home at the time of the shooting, WFAA reported.
In addition to the gun, police also seized a large, rolled-up area rug from the woman's apartment.
It was unclear Sunday whether any charges related to the shooting might be filed, but the cousin was being held Sunday evening at the Dallas County juvenile detention facility as the investigation continued, police said.
It also was unclear who owned the gun or whether the gun's owner could face any charges.
Cordell was reported missing Friday afternoon. With the help of residents, police searched the area and knocked on doors of neighboring apartments Friday night and early Saturday morning.
An Amber alert the announcement to television and radio stations about a suspected abduction was not issued because the boy's grandmother told police that he had run away from the apartment, police said.
The search, which police said included an examination of the trash bin where the body eventually was found, resumed at 7 a.m. Saturday and ended at around 3 p.m. later in the day.
Police found the boy's body an hour later when a neighbor, Robyne Espaillat, told police by phone that she noticed a small black-soled tennis shoe and shiny black pants in the bin as she tossed in her trash.
An officer met Ms. Espaillat at the bin and found Cordell's body covered by trash. Police said the body probably was put there sometime after police searched the bin.
Ms. Espaillat said she saw no one near the bin before she walked across the parking lot to dump her trash.
"It's just not something I had ever expected to do," said Ms. Espaillat, wiping tears from her cheeks. "I just feel bad for the family."
The incident upset and worried residents in the complex of two-story tan brick apartments just west of Stadium Drive by Grand Prairie High School.
E-mail mstiles@dallasnews.com
Rolled up rug? Who owned the gun? How many times shot?.....Who's running this, Inspector Closeau?
FMCDH
You write instruction my hardware? Have many cousin Taiwan!
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