A Georgia mother will face a second-degree murder charge after a judge denied a motion to dismiss the indictment relating to the death of her four-year-old daughter, who fatally shot herself with a gun found in the family car.
Judge Upholds Charges in Tragic Case
Kealin Lewis, 29, saw her motion to dismiss the indictment rejected this week. Her daughter, Kendall, died in August 2022 after discovering a firearm in the backseat of the car while they were driving on the I-85 highway. The young girl died from a single gunshot wound.
Lewis's attorney, the flamboyant lawyer Jackie Patterson, known as 'The Fly Lawyer', argued passionately for the charges to be reduced to reckless conduct. He contended that Georgia law does not criminalise accidents and that the prosecution had failed to demonstrate any act of cruelty by the mother towards her child.
'Where is the cruelty? Where is the physical act of committing cruelty to this child?' Patterson demanded in court. He described his client as a grieving mother whose life had been 'turned upside down' by the loss of her 'baby girl'.
Prosecution Argues Criminal Negligence
However, Assistant District Attorney Sarah Hilleren maintained that the child cruelty charges stem from Lewis allowing her daughter access to a weapon. 'In this case, your honour, the criminal negligence caused the cruel or excessive physical pain,' she stated.
Prosecutors have also presented further allegations. They claim Lewis did not perform CPR on Kendall as instructed by a 911 operator. Initial reports in 2022 suggested the mother heard a 'pop', pulled over thinking her vehicle had malfunctioned, and called her mechanic before realising her daughter was bleeding and calling for emergency help.
Patterson countered that Lewis did not attempt CPR because she knew her daughter was already deceased. Prosecutors have additionally alleged that the shooting may not have been accidental and that family members had previously sought guardianship of Kendall due to violent arguments between Lewis and her boyfriend in the child's presence—a claim Patterson denies.
Trial Looms with Decades in Prison at Stake
Lewis's case is expected to go to trial later this month. She faces a potential sentence of 30 years in prison if convicted on the second-degree murder and child cruelty charges. Patterson told the Daily Mail he was 'certainly disappointed' by the judge's latest decision but remained 'absolutely confident' that a jury would side with the defence.
Kealin Lewis had no prior criminal record before this incident. The tragic death of four-year-old Kendall continues to raise harrowing questions about gun storage, parental responsibility, and the legal boundaries of negligence.
