Matthew Raymond Alshaikhnasser
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CANDID ID: MN_23_731
AGE
2   years
STATE
Minnesota
DATE OF DEATH
10/17/2023
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On the morning of October 15, 2023, two-year-old Matthew Raymond Alshaikhnasser was fatally shot by his four-year-old brother while both children were in the backseat of a pickup truck near Welcome, Minnesota. The children's mother and her boyfriend, 33-year-old Colton Mammenga, had briefly left the children unattended in the vehicle while they went inside the family home to retrieve a toy. Mammenga had left a loaded handgun in the front passenger side door pocket, and the four-year-old climbed to the front, retrieved the gun, and returned to his seat. While the family was driving on Highway 263, the gun discharged, striking Matthew in the head. The child was airlifted to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, where he died two days later on October 17, 2023. Mammenga was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter, felony child endangerment, and negligent storage of firearms.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

The vital records document (MN_23_731.pdf) lists the Cause of Death as "Gunshot Wound Of The Head" and the Injury Description as "Shot By Another Person With Handgun." Multiple news articles corroborate that a 4-year-old sibling found a loaded handgun and accidentally shot the 2-year-old victim.

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

Multiple sources describe the adults leaving two young children (ages 2 and 4) unsupervised in the backseat of a pickup truck with a loaded handgun accessible. The KROC article states: "Mammenga left the loaded handgun in a storage pocket in the passenger side front door of the vehicle while he and the children's mother went back into their residence to grab some additional items." The MPR article states: "the brothers' 26-year-old mother and her 33-year-old boyfriend had briefly left the two kids alone in the back seat of a pickup truck on the morning of Oct. 15 while the adults went back inside the family home to retrieve a toy." The older child accessed the firearm and fatally shot his younger brother during this period of inadequate supervision.

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

The MPR article states "the brothers' 26-year-old mother and her 33-year-old boyfriend had briefly left the two kids alone in the back seat of a pickup truck." The KROC article states the shooting occurred in "a pickup truck driven by their mother." The biological mother was present during the incident, was driving the vehicle, and had also left the children unattended in the truck while she and her boyfriend went inside. While the primary negligence (leaving the gun) was attributed to Mammenga, the mother was involved in the circumstances by leaving two young children unsupervised with an accessible firearm.

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

The MPR article identifies the man as "her 33-year-old boyfriend." The KROC article identifies him as "33-year-old Colton Mammenga" and states he was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and other charges. He left the loaded handgun accessible in the vehicle where the children were present. He was the mother's boyfriend, not the children's biological father.

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

Multiple sources confirm that the 4-year-old brother was the one who fired the handgun. The KARE 11 article states: "a 4-year-old child riding in the back seat of the vehicle found a loaded handgun and accidentally shot his or her 2-year-old sibling." The KROC article states: "a four-year-old boy was handling Mammenga's handgun when the weapon discharged and a bullet struck the head of his younger brother." The MPR article confirms: "Matthew Alshaikhnasser died on Oct. 17 — two days after he was accidentally shot by his 4-year-old brother."

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

The KROC article states: "Prosecutors in Martin County have charged 33-year-old Colton Mammenga with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and a felony count of child endangerment. The Welcome man also faces a gross misdemeanor charge of negligent storage of firearms."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

Several notable details emerge from the sources. First, the KROC article reports that a responding deputy "found a Ziploc baggie full of 9 mm ammunition next to the four-year-old child's car seat and loose 9 mm rounds strewn about the rear passenger area," indicating the children were surrounded by loose ammunition in addition to the loaded handgun. The MPR article adds that "A deputy executing the warrant to search the pickup truck reported finding several other firearms and ammunition in the vehicle," meaning there were multiple firearms in the truck, not just the one used in the shooting. Additionally, the MPR article notes the mother stated "her son's organs were donated to help others." The KROC article also notes that the mother told investigators "Mammenga would often take his gun off his waistband and place it in the door of the vehicle while traveling," indicating this was a recurring pattern of unsafe firearm storage around young children, not a one-time lapse.

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