Report: Jacksonville boy who accidentally shot, killed sister found gun in clothes basket

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax is learning new details of how an 8-year-old boy who accidentally shot and killed his sister on Saturday got a hold of a gun.

On Sunday, Maurice Antonio Mobley, 34, was arrested on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the death of 5-year-old Serenity Allen.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Mobley is the boyfriend of the mother of Serenity Allen, who police say was accidentally shot by her 8-year-old brother. A 4-year-old neighbor was also injured in the shooting.

Serenity was shot in the head and the 4-year-old neighbor was also shot in the head by the bullet, according to Mobley's arrest warrant. Police said the three children were home alone at the time of the shooting.

The warrant details that the 8-year-old found Mobley's handgun "inside a clothes basket in the mother's bedroom." Mobley was at the home earlier in the day the day of the shooting and had spent the night before at Serenity's mother's apartment.

Earlier in the week, Serenity's mother told police she saw Mobley's gun when the 8-year-old previously found the gun, according to the warrant. At that time, Serenity's mother "confronted Mobley, who took possession of the gun," according to the warrant.

"We are required to take care of our children and protect them from harm," Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson said.

Action News Jax spoke with Carson about the details in the report.

"That would tend to suggest that she will at least sooner or later be charged with some type of child abuse," Carson said.

The arrest warrant also states that Mobley was adjudicated guilty for the offense of failure to comply with sexual offender requirements.

According to a Florida Department of Children and Families report, the family has a prior report from 2010 and the mother was named as a significant other on several 2012 reports.

JSO said Sunday it will continue to meet with the State Attorney's Office, the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Child Protection Team and the Medical Examiner's Office to determine if there will be any additional charges or sanctions.

"It would seem almost enough that the mother's lost a child in this situation and that should be punishment enough, but that's not the way the law works," Carson said. "When we act negligently and something horrible happens, we have to stand before the bench and court and answer for our failing."

Cox Media Group