Nearly two years after a tragic incident that left a four-year-old boy dead, a father and grandfather face charges for his death. On June 22, 2022, Jerry Anderson III, also known as Tre, found a gun at his paternal grandparents' home in Germantown and fatally shot himself. Indictments have now been issued against Jerry Anderson Jr. and Jerry Anderson Sr., as reported by WREG. Both men are charged with aggravated child abuse, criminally negligent homicide, and theft of a firearm.
In an unfortunate turn of affairs, Jerry Anderson Jr. was on bond for an unrelated shooting when his child suffered the fatal accident. The bond for each man is set at $80,000, according to a statement obtained by Action News 5. The indictment details that the men "neglected" Tre, leading to serious bodily injury and his eventual demise. There's also an assertion that the firearm involved was stolen, and the document names its rightful owner, although details about the possession of the weapon have not been disclosed.
The case has drawn intense scrutiny, with Elizabeth Covington, Tre's maternal grandmother, emphasizing, "This is not child's fault. This is not Tre's fault," in an interview with WREG. The child's cause of death is listed as "suspected homicide" in an autopsy report that Covington provided to WREG after the medical examiner's office did not release it upon request.
Court records unearthed by FOX13 Memphis reveal that Jerry Anderson Jr. was previously placed on an eight-year probation as of February for an unrelated crime. In June 2020, Anderson was indicted for a drive-by shooting on East McLemore, which resulted in serious injuries to an elderly woman, a two-year-old girl, and two others. He later pled guilty to attempted second-degree murder.
As the legal proceedings continue, the Germantown police have passed the case to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, as confirmed by Action News 5. The District Attorney's Office may seek a higher bond for Jerry Anderson Jr. at his upcoming hearing in July.
