This preventable tragedy struck Nashville, Tennessee, on a Saturday in early 2026. Steven Lamont Phillips, 56—a convicted felon barred from guns—was napping on the living room floor with his 6-year-old autistic son, “Junebug” Steven Lamont Ricks, after playing. The loaded .380 pistol Phillips found in a ditch and pocketed went off, fatally shooting the boy in the head.
What Happened
Phillips did yard work, pocketed the street-found gun without reporting it (later claiming dead phone, then distraction by playtime), then dozed off with his sister (the boy’s guardian) also napping nearby. A muzzle flash and gunshot woke him; he yelled for her to call 911. Junebug was rushed to hospital on life support but died.
Charges
Initially arrested for aggravated child neglect and unlawful gun possession; upgraded to criminal homicide after death.
Family’s GoFundMe mourns Junebug’s joy and bright future, now shattered. A loaded gun in a pocket around a curious autistic child is negligence at its worst—stricter felon enforcement and safe storage could save lives.
