Mom arrested in connection with son's shooting
TITUSVILLE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Titusville Police have arrested the mother of a 13-year-old boy after they said she failed to take him to the hospital after he had been shot. Latasha Lanette Staley, 35, of Titusville, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with child neglect, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Police officers said the teenager was injured on Sunday morning, but his mother did not seek medical attention for the boy until approximately four hours after the incident. Officers learned of the shooting after being called to Parrish Medical Center, where they discovered the teen with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.
After further investigation, it was revealed that the teen has an extensive criminal history, involving a previous shooting incident and multiple property crimes. According to police, the teen's mother had knowingly allowed her son to attend a party the night before, even though he was on probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and vehicle theft.
Staley told investigators that had she known law enforcement would be involved, she would not have taken her son to the emergency room. Staley was transported to the Brevard County Jail and is awaiting her first appearance.