A local mother now faces manslaughter charges for the death of her toddler.
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Action News Jax told you in February when officers said Jaden Piedra, 2, got hold of a gun and shot himself.
His mother, Donna Crump-Piedra, and her boyfriend were both arrested on charges of culpable negligence.
Friday, Action News Jax learned the charges against the mom were upgraded.
Families at the Morningside Apartments on Jammes Road in Jacksonville are still shaken by what happened more than three months ago.
Police said Jaden and a 7-year-old were playing with an unsecured gun when it went off.
New court document state a new Aggravated Manslaughter charge reflects that Crump-Piedra, through negligent behavior that included a lack of supervision, caused the death of the toddler.
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She interviewed with Action News Jax prior to her March arrest.
“I don't know what I'm going to do without my baby! That's my best friend! He's everything to me!” she said.
JSO said the gun was left unsecured on a table as Crump-Piedra and her boyfriend, Lephabion Griggs, were asleep at his home.
“And I go look, and I'm not knowing, I'm thinking he probably fell or something,” Crump-Piedra said. “So, I'm like, ‘Oh my God, what's going on?’ But when I turned him I seen his face and it was swollen, but I didn't know that he had hold to a gun.”
Crump-Piedra and Griggs are both in jail.
Thursday, she pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. Jury selection in her case starts in August.
At the time of the tragedy, Crump-Piedra reminded others to be responsible gun owners.
“You could lose your child,” she said. “I lost a 2-year-old.”
Action News Jax contacted to DCF to see how the 7-year-old is doing and hasn’t heard back.
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