Milwaukee, Wisconsin — A Milwaukee woman has avoided prison time after pleading guilty in a child neglect case tied to the shooting of a 9-year-old girl who was injured while several children were left unsupervised inside an apartment.
Court records show that Vanta’jah Westmoreland, 24, was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to three counts of being party to a crime of child neglect. The charges stem from a November 2024 incident that left a young girl hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
Authorities say the case began when two adults left four children alone in an apartment while they went shopping, setting the stage for a dangerous chain of events.
Children Left Alone While Adults Went Shopping
According to investigators, Westmoreland and her girlfriend, Nakia Piggee, 29, left four children unattended for approximately 40 minutes while they went to a grocery store.
The children included a 9-year-old girl, an 8-year-old girl, a 4-year-old boy, and a disabled 2-year-old child.
During that time, a firearm allegedly stored inside the apartment became accessible to the children. Police were called after Piggee contacted emergency dispatchers to report that her daughter had been shot.
When officers arrived, they found the 9-year-old victim lying face down on the living room floor suffering from a gunshot wound to her upper back.
Despite her injuries, the child remained conscious and was able to communicate with officers before being transported to a hospital.
She ultimately survived.
Investigators Focus on Unsecured Firearm
During the investigation, police attempted to determine how the shooting occurred and who had handled the weapon.
According to the criminal complaint, the injured girl indicated that the shooter was male and pointed toward the 4-year-old boy who had been inside the apartment.
However, investigators later received conflicting accounts from the children.
Police said the 4-year-old reportedly told his mother that the 8-year-old girl fired the gun. Meanwhile, the 8-year-old allegedly told investigators that she took the weapon away from the boy after he found it under a mattress and that the firearm discharged during the struggle.
Authorities noted inconsistencies in the statements and did not publicly identify a definitive shooter in court records.
Investigators later recovered a 9 mm handgun that had allegedly been removed from the apartment by a teenage neighbor after the shooting occurred.
According to police, the firearm was eventually located wrapped in clothing inside the neighbor’s residence.
Apartment Conditions Raised Additional Concerns
While conducting their investigation, officers reported finding troubling conditions inside the apartment.
According to the complaint, the residence contained scattered trash, dirty clothing, food waste, cigarette ashes, and other debris throughout multiple rooms.
Particularly concerning to investigators was the condition of a bedroom where a disabled 2-year-old child was staying.
Police reported finding the child in a crib with medical equipment, including a feeding tube and supplemental oxygen. The same room allegedly contained alcohol bottles, ashtrays, used diapers, and evidence connected to the shooting.
Investigators also stated that they found no firearm safety devices such as trigger locks or gun safes anywhere in the residence.
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Authorities said Piggee later told investigators that the firearm belonged to Westmoreland and had been stored under a mattress. According to court documents, Piggee allegedly admitted she forgot the gun was there.
Earlier this year, Piggee pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor child neglect charges and received two years of probation.
Westmoreland’s sentencing now closes another chapter in the criminal case, though the circumstances surrounding the shooting continue to highlight concerns about firearm storage and child safety.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with unsecured weapons, particularly in homes where young children are present.
What are your thoughts on safe firearm storage laws and child safety responsibilities?
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