On March 30, 2023, at approximately 7 p.m., 3-year-old Jared Green Jr. fatally shot himself with a handgun at a home on the 900 block of Park Avenue in Hamilton, Ohio. Benjamin Bishop, the boyfriend of the child's mother and a former Centerville police officer, had left a legally owned firearm on the windowsill in a second-story bedroom, where the child accessed and discharged it, sustaining a gunshot wound to the left side of his head at the hairline. The child's mother, a nurse, attempted to control the bleeding and the child was brought to the first floor. Emergency crews responded and transported the boy to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, where he later died. Bishop was subsequently indicted on charges of child endangering, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless homicide, with bond set at $100,000.
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?
Both articles describe a fatal firearm incident. Document 1 (fox19.com) states Bishop "left a gun he legally owned on the windowsill in the bedroom" and the child fatally shot himself. Document 2 (wcpo.com) reports "A 911 caller told dispatchers they believed the child discharged the handgun himself" and quotes the caller: "He picked up a firearm."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Document 1 (fox19.com) states that Bishop "left a gun he legally owned on the windowsill in the bedroom," making it accessible to the 3-year-old. Document 2 (wcpo.com) reports the prosecutor said "parental responsibility is in question" and noted "when it happens through neglect, I am not going to take the place of a grand jury to decide whether or not it should considered criminally." The child was able to access and discharge the firearm due to inadequate supervision and unsafe storage of the weapon.
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?
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)?
Document 1 (fox19.com) explicitly identifies Benjamin Bishop as "the boyfriend of the toddler's mother and former Centerville officer" who "left a gun he legally owned on the windowsill in the bedroom." He was indicted for child endangering, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless homicide in connection with the child's death.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
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?
Document 1 (fox19.com) states: "A former police officer has been indicted and is accused of child endangering, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless homicide after a 3-year-old fatally shot himself in March." A warrant was also issued for Bishop's arrest, and bond was set at $100,000.
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 may affect a researcher's understanding of this case. First, the person responsible for leaving the gun accessible was a former police officer (Centerville Police Department), who presumably had firearm training and knowledge of safe storage practices, making the negligence particularly significant. Document 1 (fox19.com) states: "At one point, Bishop worked at the Centerville Police Department but had resigned... It is unclear why he left the force." Second, the gun was legally owned, as stated in Document 1: Bishop "left a gun he legally owned on the windowsill in the bedroom." Third, the prosecutor's comments in Document 2 (wcpo.com) are notable for describing the policy framework for these cases: "Even though as an ordinary human being, my heart goes out to the parents of a grieving child that kills themself accidentally, when it happens through neglect, I am not going to take the place of a grand jury to decide whether or not it should considered criminally."
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