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On July 25, 2023, 8-year-old Jenesis Dockery was shot in the head in Fayetteville, North Carolina, by the 11-year-old son of her babysitter, who allegedly stole the gun from his grandfather’s safe. Jenesis was transported to the hospital, where she died two days later. On Tuesday, her family is set to join civil rights attorneys Harry Daniels and Chimeaka White in front of the Cumberland County Courthouse, where they will announce a lawsuit filed against the mother and grandfather of the pre-teen who hasn’t been publicly identified but is currently charged with Jenesis’ death.
According to a news release sent to NewsOne, Chrystle Diane Michael, the 11-year-old boy’s mother, and Thomas Rosa Michael, his grandfather and the owner of the gun allegedly used to kill Jenesis, are named as defendants in the suit. However, the lawsuit doesn’t appear to be the only point to be discussed during the appearance in front of the courthouse. The news release also pointed to a bill introduced in February that would hold gun owners accountable for crimes committed with their lost or stolen firearms. The bill, S.B. 161, has been named the Jenesis Firearm Accountability Act after the victim, and it would require gun owners to report lost or stolen weapons within 48 hours. The bill also proposes stiffer penalties for adults who do not report the loss or theft of stolen firearms.
According to the plaintiffs and their legal team, the proposed law is not just about Jenesis as there have reportedly been similar cases to hers in the state of North Carolina.
From the news release:
The incident, which occurred in July 2023, shocked and appalled the Fayetteville community sparking calls for accountability and new gun safety measures as questions about how the 11-year-old got the gun in the first place went unanswered. Since then, multiple children in North Carolina have died as a result of unsecured guns including two already in 2025. On January 23, 2025, a 7-year-old in Kannapolis, NC was shot and killed by her sibling. February 28, 2025, a 5-year-old girl died after being shot by another child who was playing with a gun inside a home.
According to WRAL, the bill holds that a person who failed to report the loss or theft of a firearm that was later used to commit a felony or misdemeanor, the gun owner would be charged with the same crimes as the suspect unless they can prove in court a “reasonable inability” to comply with the law.
“I thought about law enforcement because what law enforcement agency would not want to know there are weapons on the street with ammunition,” said state Sen. Val Applewhite (D-Cumberland), who introduced the bill along with Sens. Woodson Bradley (D-Mecklenburg) and Caleb Theodros (D-Mecklenburg).
“This is not just about accountability, it’s also a safety,” Applewhite said. “It’s not a complicated goal, we just want more people to live like Jenesis.”
Jenesis’ father, Fon Dockery, said after the bill was introduced that having his daughter’s name on it “is impactful enough for our family, but knowing the safety that this is going to bring to our state is incredible.”
The attorneys’ and family’s press conference at the Cumberland County Courthouse will take place on March 18, at 11 a.m.
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