Man posed for photo with gun before killing niece, FL cops say. He’s sentenced
A 21-year-old posted photos on social media with a gun before Florida authorities said he used the same firearm in the accidental killing of his 18-month-old niece.
CJ Nelson Jr., now 23, pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a firearm and has now been sentenced to 15 years in prison, the State Attorney’s Office for the Seventh Judicial Circuit announced April 3.
McClatchy News reached out to Nelson’s attorney for comment on the sentencing April 4 but did not immediately receive a response.
Nelson’s father is also accused of trying to help him cover up the crime, McClatchy News previously reported. He’s charged with two counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of providing false information to law enforcement, Flagler County records show.
Nelson Jr. had his assault-style rifle out in a bedroom at a Palm Coast home with family members the evening of Sept. 3, 2023, prosecutors said in a news release.
He had previously posted photos on social media of him posing with the gun, and that night, he was handling the firearm, possibly trying to unjam it, when he accidentally fired it, according to investigators.
The bullet went through a wall and into the hallway where his niece, 18-month-old Ja’liyah Allen, was playing with her mom, authorities said. The toddler was shot in the head, according to deputies.
Someone called 911, and in the time before first responders arrived, Nelson’s dad showed up to help hide evidence and make up a story about what happened, Flagler County deputies wrote in an arrest affidavit.
“While deputies and paramedics were responding, we believe others in the home were doing their best to destroy and move evidence,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said at a news conference. “They were more interested in frankly saving (themselves) than saving the life of a small innocent child or holding a killer accountable for his actions.”
Nelson’s dad is accused of using a shirt to move the gun into the closet of a bedroom and instructing his son to say he was outside smoking at the time of the shooting, according to deputies. Investigators said Nelson’s dad also told him to shower to get rid of any DNA evidence.
When deputies got to the home, they found a man cradling the 18-month-old girl, with a towel pressed against her head. She died at a hospital shortly after.
“Everyone that was at that home gave conflicting statements as to what occurred,” Staly said.
Ultimately, Nelson’s fingerprints and DNA were found on the gun used in the shooting, according to the sheriff. He said the 21-year-old was also high on marijuana at the time.
Palm Coast is about a 60-mile drive south from Jacksonville.