A father has been arrested in the fatal shooting of his nine-year-old autistic son at their Los Angeles area home.
Nicholas Jones, 32, was arrested and charged with murder and child abuse resulting in death on Sunday after investigators determined he killed his son, Princeton, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Authorities responded to a report of a gunshot victim at a home on South Haskins Avenue in Compton around 7.30 p.m. November 30. Officers found the boy in his backyard suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
Jones was booked December 1 at the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station, where he is being held on $2 million bail, records show.
The father is next due in court on Tuesday. The sheriff’s office said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Princeton’s family has launched a GoFundMe page in the wake of the tragedy.
The little boy, who was diagnosed with “mild autism” at two years old, boasted a “brilliant mind and a warm heart,” the family said on the site.
“Princeton was a beacon of joy, lighting up every room he entered with his humor and infectious smile. He was adored by his friends, family and community, who all cherished the incredible person he was becoming,” they wrote. “This senseless act has left our family devastated and searching for answers as the investigation remains ongoing.”
The fundraiser has earned nearly $38,000 in just two days. All contributions will go toward the family expenses and “ensuring that Princeton is honored and remembered in a way that reflects the love and joy he brought into this world,” the family said.
The little boy’s mother, Creole Green, told ABC7 that the shooting happened outside of his grandfather’s house. She said she’s “devastated” that his life was stopped so short.
“My goal … was to give him the proper teachings and all the things that he needed in order to navigate this world independently one day,” Green told the outlet. “I’m just devastated that my son’s life … the door was shut in front of him at nine years old.”
