Warning: Article has detailed accounts of the shooting

Breanna Gayle Devall Runions, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of Evangaline Gunter.

The child’s parents, Adam and Josie Gunter, told ABC affiliate WATE that Evangaline had been in temporary custody at a home in Rockwood, which Runions shared with girlfriend Christina Daniels and another child, a 7-year-old girl.

Before the shooting, Evangaline and the older girl were being punished that morning by Runions for not waking up the women and for eating Daniels’ food without permission, according to the warrant and a statement from Russell Johnson, district attorney general for Tennessee’s 9th Judicial District. Runions struck both girls with a sandal before forcing them to stand in different corners of the women’s bedroom, authorities said the older girl told them.

After the shooting, the women drove Evangaline to a nearby Walmart location to meet an ambulance, Roane County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Boduch told the Roane County News, and the vehicle transported the girl to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Boduch could not immediately be reached by HuffPost.

  • DessertStorms@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    12
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    Why was she

    in temporary custody at a home in Rockwood

    what does that even mean?? It makes it sound like she was being held there without consent, but she’s a child and no kidnapping is mentioned, so who put here there? What relation was the killer to the child? Where were her parents?

    • thesushicat@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      28
      ·
      1 year ago

      The full article mentions the child had been placed there by a “court decision” so it sounds like the parents may have temporarily lost custody.

      • DessertStorms@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        15
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        I appreciate the info, thanks.

        That raises so many other questions though, none will help make this case any less horrible, but it just feels like so many people failed this poor child in her short life (potentially her parents, but also whoever placed her in this situation and failed to ensure her safety), but probably only one will pay (as she should, of course, in case that wasn’t clear)…

        • Instigate@aussie.zone
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          If you want a deeper look into just how child protection systems can fail so egregiously, have a watch of The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. I work in child protection myself and it was eye-opening.

    • Hazdaz@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      1 year ago

      The whole article describes a strange situation. The “adults” where mad at the kids for not waking them and eating their food. Like what is even going on over here?

    • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      30
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Eh… It could simply be that they were keeping her for the week while the parents weren’t available or something, no need to panic…

      • DessertStorms@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        23
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        A child was murdered and I’m asking for clarification.
        Who the fuck is panicking? Why even respond that way, how is it helpful?

          • Black_Gulaman@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            6
            ·
            1 year ago

            Lol, the post is literally just asking questions, questions which I know many here want to be answered. No indication of panicking was ever in there.

            • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              arrow-down
              5
              ·
              1 year ago

              “makes it sound like she was being held without her consent”

              That’s the first thing you think about when seeing “temporary custody”? Having custody of someone means you’re the person who has the responsibility of taking care of them. OP even used the word kidnapping in their post.

              Heck, a babysitter has temporary custody of the kids she’s taking care of, why would OP not think about that first?