A Missouri woman, Jo Marie Timmons, 37, has been charged with five counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child after an 11-year-old died in what authorities describe as an accidental shooting. The incident occurred in January at a residence in Moberly, a small city about 40 miles north of Columbia. According to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a child suffering from a gunshot wound. Previous local reporting indicated that a fifth-grade girl who attended school in the Moberly School District died that same weekend following the shooting.
Investigators say a 12-year-old at the home directed deputies to a Bersa .380 handgun located inside a dresser. Timmons allegedly told authorities she had left multiple children — including a 10-year-old and two 7-year-olds — alone while she went to pick up her paycheck. She reportedly said she received a phone call warning that an unfamiliar vehicle had pulled into the driveway. Minutes later, she allegedly received another call from a girl stating that she had shot someone. The children told investigators they hid in a bedroom after noticing the unknown vehicle and that the gun discharged when one of them grabbed it. According to the probable cause statement, one child said the gun’s safety was on, but they did not realize a bullet had already been chambered.
Conditions Inside the Home and Criminal Charges
Authorities stated that at least five children between the ages of 7 and 12 were left alone in the residence that day. Some details regarding the children’s identities and custody arrangements have been redacted from court documents. Randolph County Prosecutor Stephanie Luntsford declined to clarify whether all the children living in the home belonged to Timmons, stating only that several children resided there.
Law enforcement officials described the home as being in severely unsanitary condition. Deputies reported that the residence smelled strongly of feces and urine and that trash, loose pills, used condoms, dirty dishes, and food remnants were scattered throughout the house. In Timmons’ bedroom, investigators allegedly found a shotgun mounted on the wall and covered in cockroaches. Witnesses reportedly told authorities the firearm was not consistently secured. Prosecutors indicated that the living conditions factored into the endangerment charges, arguing that the environment posed a risk to the children’s health and safety.
Timmons was arrested and remains held at the Randolph County Jail on bond. She faces a possible sentence of up to 30 years in prison because one of the child endangerment counts is connected to the death of a child. The remaining counts carry potential sentences of up to seven years each if she is convicted.
