Mother of 2-year-old who died of gunshot has been arrested for neglect, negligence

Jacksonville, FL — The mother of a Jacksonville toddler who died of a gunshot has now been arrested for child neglect and culpable negligence, and her boyfriend is in custody as well.

WOKV first reported last month about the death of 2-year-old Jaden Piedra. He was shot in a unit at the Morningside Apartments on Jammes Road and later died of those injuries. JSO  initially did not say much about the circumstances of what happened, but Piedra's mother told our partner Action News Jax at that time that he shot himself with an unsecured gun. She says they were at a friend's home at the time.

Now, jail records show 29-year-old Donna Crump-Piedra and 25-year-old Lephabion Griggs have been arrested. Crump-Piedra is facing two counts of child neglect and two counts of culpable negligence, and Griggs is charged with culpable negligence.

“This case is a tragedy and was completely avoidable, if they would have locked up the gun,” says JSO Homicide Lieutenant Craig Waldrup.

JSO says Crump-Piedra and her children, 2-year-old Jaden and a 7-year-old, were staying with Griggs, who she was dating. The adults were sleeping in the living room and left a loaded gun on a table, which the children took and started playing with, according to police. JSO says statements of the 7-year-old, the autopsy, and other evidence show that in the process of playing with the gun, Jaden shot himself.

Griggs immediately fled to Dallas, Texas, after the shooting, according to JSO. His arrest report says he later returned to Jacksonville and agreed to meet with police.

JSO says the 7-year-old was taken in to the care of the state, but our partner Action News Jax reports he is with family.

The gun came back as stolen, so JSO says it’s possible there are more charges filed against Griggs in connection to that.