A mother from Inver Grove Heights has managed to avoid additional jail time in a child endangerment case where her 3-year-old son accidentally shot his 7-year-old brother with a gun. In a plea agreement reached in January with Dakota County prosecutors, Kamera Karmeasha Wright Ramsey, 32, was sentenced to no further incarceration beyond the initial five days served following her August 2023 arrest. The plea allowed her legal team to discuss the length of probation during sentencing.
On Wednesday, Dakota County District Judge Krista Marks placed Wright Ramsey on probation for just one day, and a gross misdemeanor child endangerment charge was subsequently dismissed. According to court documents, the young boy had accessed a Glock 45 9mm handgun while unsupervised in his mother’s car, leading to the accidental discharge that resulted in severe injuries to his older brother’s hand and leg, necessitating surgery.
Wright Ramsey was the registered owner and permit holder for the firearm. However, her boyfriend, Derrick Wayne Burkhalter Jr., who also faced charges, later admitted in his plea hearing that he had brought the gun into the vehicle. The incident came to light when officers were called to a St. Paul hospital on August 16, 2023, after receiving a report of a child with a gunshot wound.
Initially, Wright Ramsey provided varied accounts of the incident to authorities, first claiming her son was shot while playing at Salem Hills Park. Upon investigation, police found no evidence at the park, prompting her to change her story. She then described a scenario where, after a minor car accident outside her apartment, her 3-year-old son accessed the gun from the car’s trunk and shot his brother. Witnesses corroborated seeing the car accident and hearing the gunshot and subsequent screams.
County child protection officials interviewed the injured 7-year-old, who recounted being shot by his younger brother while using his tablet in the backseat. He indicated that Wright Ramsey was present in the car during the shooting but stopped responding when asked about his mother’s directions.
Child protection staff also interviewed Wright Ramsey, who confessed to misleading police initially due to the presence of Burkhalter, who was violating a domestic abuse no-contact order at the time. She stated that she left the firearm in her purse while the children were in the car and afterward moved the gun to a storage unit before seeking medical help at the hospital. Both children identified the gun as belonging to “daddy,” referring to Burkhalter, who is the father of the younger boy and regarded as the father by the older one.
Burkhalter, 30, pleaded guilty to felony child endangerment and misdemeanor violation of a domestic abuse no-contact order. He confessed to bringing the loaded gun into the vehicle on the day of the shooting. As a result, he received a suspended 18-month prison sentence and three years of probation in March 2024 after serving 89 days in jail.
The Human Element Explored
This case highlights the critical need for responsible firearm ownership and the importance of securing weapons away from children to prevent tragic accidents. It underscores the potential dangers associated with guns in homes, especially when children are present, and serves as a sobering reminder for all gun owners to adhere strictly to safety protocols.
For the community, this incident may result in heightened awareness and discussions surrounding gun safety, particularly the legal and social ramifications of improper handling and storage. This case stresses the need for public education on responsible gun ownership, alongside legal measures to ensure child safety. It also reflects the broader societal challenge of balancing individual gun rights with community safety and the protection of vulnerable individuals.