Teen accused of killing stepson, 3, because the child wouldn’t stop jumping on his bed
George Coty Wayman, 18, was arrested and charged over the incident inside the family’s trailer home in Bellevue
A TEENAGER has been accused of murdering his three-year-old stepson because the child wouldn’t stop jumping on his bed.
George Coty Wayman, 18, was arrested and charged over the incident inside the family’s trailer home in the tiny Texas town of Bellevue on Tuesday.
Prosecutors allege Wayman’s stepson, three-year-old Dominic Tra’Juan Castro, was jumping on the bed when he was shot in the back of the head, killing him. Paramedics were called to the scene but the little boy died on the way to hospital.
Witnesses initially told police Dominic had accidentally landed on the gun, causing it to discharge, the Chicago Tribute reported.
But the stories later changed, with witnesses admitting Wayman had pointed the gun at the boy and told him if he didn’t stop jumping on the bed he would shoot him.
“Investigators interviewed eyewitnesses in the bedroom at the time of this incident and have determined that Wayman is the individual that pointed and discharged the handgun that caused the death of the victim,” the arrest warrant read.
In addition to charge of capital murder, Wayman also faces one count of criminal trespass.
His bail has been set at $US505,000 ($AU700,000), according to the Dallas Morning News.
Memorials to Dominic appeared on social media after his death, along with calls for a stiff sentence for his stepfather.
The boy’s biological father is reportedly in jail for multiple convictions.