Kelly L. PittmanThe mother whose 3-year-old son accidentally shot and killed himself in February was given an arraignment date Wednesday in Hamilton County Criminal Court.
Kelly Pittman will make her first appearance May 20 before Judge Don Poole for criminally negligent homicide and child neglect charges.
Clerks were unable to confirm whether she was indicted Wednesday, though a prosecutor said Pittman’s arraignment date in Criminal Court is usually a tell-tale sign that a grand jury returned a true bill. When someone is arraigned, they are formally brought up on criminal charges.
Investigators say Pittman, , 26, of Apison, Tenn., was talking on her phone as she steered her minivan into the family’s driveway at 4724 Gates Lane at 9:18 a.m. on Feb. 29. To continue the conversation, Pittman got out of the vehicle, leaving her three small children in the van, she told investigators with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
Moments later, Pittman heard a “pop” and realized her son, Gavin, had shot himself. The bullet entered under his right eye.