Detroit Mother Charged in Fatal Shooting of Six-Year-Old Daughter
Published on March 06, 2026
Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Tonya Charisse-Annice Johnson, 41, of Detroit, in connection with the fatal shooting of her six-year-old daughter.
On March 2, 2026, at approximately 12:06 p.m., Detroit police officers were dispatched to a restaurant located in the 9700 block of Harper Avenue for a reported shooting. Upon their arrival, officers observed the child suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Medics arrived on the scene and transported to the child to local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased.
It is alleged that the defendant left her five children, ages two to 11-years-old, unattended in her vehicle while she was inside of the restaurant. It is further alleged that the defendant’s 11-year-old son found an unsecured handgun in the vehicle and fired it, striking the six-year-old victim in the head, fatally wounding her.
Tonya Charisse-Annie Johnson has been charged with Firearms – Safe Storage Violations – Premises Under Individual’s Control – Minor Present and Inflicted Death Upon Self or Another, three counts of Second-Degree Child Abuse, and four counts of Felony Firearm. *
“The alleged facts of this case are among the worst child safe storage cases that we have seen. The loss of the life of one of their siblings in a closed compartment of the defendant’s car cannot be unseen. This will affect these children forever,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
She was arraigned on March 5, 2026, in 36th District Court before Magistrate Delphia Burton and given a $30,000 cash/surety bond with a GPS tether. A bond redetermination hearing is scheduled for March 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., before Judge William McConico. The Probable Cause Conference is scheduled for March 13, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., and the Preliminary Examination is scheduled for March 19, 2026, at 8:45 a.m., before Judge Shawn Jacque.
Please request a photograph of the defendant from the Detroit Police Department.
*The charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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