In a distressing incident in Covington, Kentucky, Selena Farrell, 23, and Tashaun Adams, 21, have been arrested and charged following a shooting involving their young children.
The pair now face second-degree manslaughter charges after their two-year-old son, Khalil Adams, was fatally shot by his three-year-old brother on January 22, 2024.
The tragic incident took place around 12:44 p.m. at the couple’s residence on the 2500 block of Warren Street, not far from Holmes High School.
Details of the tragic event were revealed by Kenton County prosecutor Rob Sanders during a press conference.
Law enforcement arrived at the scene on a Monday afternoon following reports of a shooting. The two-year-old was discovered with a gunshot wound and transported to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital across the Ohio River. Unfortunately, he was later pronounced dead, and his identity was confirmed by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.
According to Sanders, the loaded firearm was irresponsibly stored in a dresser drawer in the living room, within reach of the children. “This shooting death resulted from two adults leaving a loaded firearm unattended around a three-year-old,” the prosecutor stated.
During his remarks, Sanders stressed that neglectful parenting, rather than a legal issue, was at the heart of the incident. He also noted that the charges against Farrell and Adams were quite significant given that second-degree manslaughter charges are rarely invoked in such circumstances in Kentucky.
Farrell, who was already wanted on an existing warrant and was on probation, left the scene before police could arrive. She was later found in a hotel room in Boone County on January 25, 2024, alongside Adams and a third individual, Jeremiah Thomas, 20.
She faces charges of second-degree manslaughter, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and abandonment. An additional charge of probation violation was added to her case. Farrell, identified as the owner of the firearm, claimed that she kept the weapon for protection. In a surprising revelation, she told the police that she fled the scene to avoid missing her son’s funeral, although her son was still alive at that point.
Adams, the father of the child, is facing charges of second-degree manslaughter and hindering apprehension. As per Kenton County jail records, he is currently held at the Boone County Detention Center. His hindering apprehension charge stems from his alleged assistance to Farrell in evading law enforcement after the shooting.
Jeremiah Thomas, the third individual in the hotel room, is also facing charges of hindering apprehension. Thomas was reportedly present at the residence during the shooting but fled before the police arrived.
Despite the charges, Farrell has pleaded not guilty in court. The case is now set to be presented to a grand jury, which may consider different charges before the case moves to circuit court.
