On August 27, 2023, four-year-old Evangaline Gunter was fatally shot at a residence on Airport Road in Rockwood, Tennessee. The child was in the court-ordered temporary custody of Breanna Gayle Devall Runions, 25. According to charging documents, Evangaline and another child were being punished for not following rules and were told to stand in the corners of Runions' bedroom. Runions then removed her Taurus Millennium 9mm handgun from its case, removed the magazine, called Evangaline over, pressed the barrel of the gun against the child's torso, and pulled the trigger, discharging a round that remained in the chamber. Evangaline was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. Runions was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse, with bond set at $1.5 million. The District Attorney's office acknowledged previous DCS involvement with the children in the home.
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 documents describe a firearm incident. Document 2 specifies the weapon as a "Taurus Millennium 9mm handgun" and describes how Runions "removed her Taurus Millennium 9mm handgun from its case, then removed the magazine and called the 4-year-old child over to her, at which point she pressed the barrel of the gun into the front of (the child's) torso and pulled the trigger, discharging a round into (the child)."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Document 2 states that Runions "pressed the barrel of the gun into the front of (the child's) torso and pulled the trigger, discharging a round into (the child)." Document 1 similarly reports she "held the gun in front of Evangaline's chest and pulled the trigger." This constitutes an inflicted injury — specifically, a gunshot wound deliberately inflicted on the child.
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?
Document 1 states that "Evangaline was in the temporary custody of another adult according to her mother" and the mother described it as "a court order decision." Court-ordered temporary custody could constitute a form of legal guardianship, making Runions potentially a guardian. However, the text does not explicitly use the term "guardian" or "adoptive parent," and the exact legal nature of the arrangement is unclear.
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?
Document 1 states that "Evangaline was in the temporary custody of another adult according to her mother" and the mother described it as "a court order decision." Document 2 notes that DA Johnson "said his office is aware of previous DCS involvement with the children in the home" and that "information regarding the children's parentage, placement and removal are part of juvenile and DCS records." The court-ordered temporary custody combined with DCS involvement in placement and removal is consistent with a foster care arrangement, though the text never explicitly uses the term "foster parent" or "foster care."
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
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?
Document 1 states that "Evangaline was in the temporary custody of another adult according to her mother" and it was described as "a court order decision." Document 2 states the DA's office "is aware of previous DCS involvement with the children in the home" and references "children's parentage, placement and removal" as part of DCS records. This language is consistent with DCS-involved foster care placement, though the text does not explicitly confirm the child was in a formal foster care arrangement 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)?
Document 2 states that DA "Johnson said his office is aware of previous DCS involvement with the children in the home." This explicitly confirms a history of child protection involvement prior to the child's death.
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?
Both documents confirm that Breanna Gayle Devall Runions, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. Document 2 states "Runions' bond is set at $1.5 million" and provides details about upcoming court proceedings.
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 text. First, the child was in court-ordered temporary custody of the perpetrator, with previous DCS involvement with children in the home (Document 2: "Johnson said his office is aware of previous DCS involvement with the children in the home"), raising significant questions about the adequacy of the placement and oversight. Second, the perpetrator claimed she was teaching the child "gun safety" (Document 1: "she called Evangaline over to teach her gun safety") while pressing a loaded firearm against the child's chest and pulling the trigger during a punishment scenario — despite having removed the magazine, a round remained in the chamber, and the first-degree murder charge suggests prosecutors believe the act was intentional. Third, the Tennessee DCS issued a statement acknowledging an open investigation, and another child was present in the home at the time of the incident.
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