Family faces nightmare
Updated: January 3, 2013
The teens life was turned upside down back in May. He accidentally shot Mekhi Woods.
Now he's facing jail time. We spoke with the teen's grandmother.
The pain is still very real. She didn't want her face shown on camera because she's been so torn down by all of this.
She can't even drive by this house behind me, seeing it takes her back in time. To her, 905 Pennsylvania Avenue is still covered in crime scene tape. It's the home that turned her family's life into a nightmare.
"There's a void there that I don't think is ever going to be filled."
Moss said.
Nearly 8 months later, Vicki Moss still can't believe her grandson is gone.
"It's hard when you lose someone that loved you unconditionally."
Moss said.
He was her pride and joy. A ball of energy with the biggest heart. But she's constantly reminded of the day that heart stopped beating.
"My life has been turned upside down."
Moss said.
In May, she got the call. Little Mekhi had been shot by his then 14-year-old uncle. Police say the teen was playing with a gun, when it accidentally went off and shot the 3-year-old in the head.
"I know just as good as I know my name, there is no way that that was done intentionally." Moss said.
but still the 15-year-old was charged with involuntary manslaughter and a lifelong sentence of guilt...that moss says has changed him completely.
"I've actually sat and tried to imagine what he might be feeling on the inside. I can't even imagine, you can see it on his face. He told someone he doesn't deserve to laugh or smile anymore."
Moss said.
she doesn't know if she'll ever come to terms with her reality.
"I've got the last pair of pajamas that he wore, that I did not wash sealed in a plastic bag. Every now and then I'll go in there and breath in, just so I can breathe in his smell."
Moss said.
moss says she fights her tears to be strong for her 15-year-old grandson, who now faces up to six years behind bars.
"Just like what happened with Mekhi we have to accept it, we have to take it one day at a time. We go on."
Moss said.
The 15-year-old will be sentenced in March. For now he's living with his mom and getting counseling.
