Mom faces manslaughter charge in shooting death of toddler at gas station

Tragic Incident at Lansing Gas Station Leads to Manslaughter Charges

LANSING — The mother of a 2-year-old boy who died from a gunshot wound following an incident at a south Lansing gas station last month has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the tragedy.

Charges and Negligence

Emma Jane Huver, 26, of Lansing, was grossly negligent by either failing to protect her son from unsupervised access to a loaded weapon or by discharging a gun in close proximity to the unrestrained child while in a vehicle, according to a criminal complaint filed on Nov. 16.

Huver was arraigned Monday in 54-A District court on seven felony counts, including involuntary manslaughter, second-degree child abuse and various weapons charges, court records indicate. A judge set a $75,000 cash bond for her.

Co-Accused and Surveillance Footage

She is one of two adults charged in connection with the Oct. 24 incident. Avis Damone Coward was charged last week in federal court with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to federal court records, Coward was in a vehicle with the child and the child’s mother around 3 p.m. when they pulled into a gas station in the 3000 block of Dunckel Road in Lansing. He got out of the front passenger seat and walked away from the vehicle.

Federal prosecutors included images that appear to be from the gas station’s surveillance cameras in their filing that show a few minutes later, a small bullet hole appeared in a vehicle window. A minute later, the child’s mother, who is not identified in the court records, got out of the vehicle holding the child, who had blood on his face, according to court records.

Actions and Investigation

When the woman got out of the car, a gun fell onto the ground.

The mother handed the child to Coward, who gave him to someone else who “attempted to control bleeding until medical personnel arrived,” according to court records.

As Coward went to close a vehicle door, he bent over to pick up the gun and put it back into the vehicle, officials allege. He also broke the front passenger window, according to court records, which is the one that had the bullet hole.

He then got into the vehicle and drove away, according to court records.

When the mother spoke with police, she said she was on the phone at the gas station and wasn’t paying attention when she heard an “explosion” before seeing that her son had shot himself in the head, according to court records.

Charges and Criminal History

Besides involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse, Huver is charged with carrying a concealed weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm and felony firearm possession. She is charged as a fourth-time habitual offender, which could boost the maximum penalties if she is convicted.

Court records indicate Huver has drug convictions in Eaton and Ingham counties.

Upcoming Hearing

A hearing to determine whether Huver should stand trial on the charges is set for Dec. 15.

Contact Ken Palmer atkpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.

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