A Pahokee man has avoided additional prison time after a 2-year-old was accidentally shot inside a home last year, a case that rattled the small Glades community and put a harsh spotlight on unsecured guns around children.
Jashawn L. Mathis Sr., 25, pleaded guilty Thursday in Palm Beach County to child neglect in connection with the March 24, 2025 shooting. The judge credited him with 403 days of time already served, then handed down five years of probation, a no-contact order involving the child and a prohibition on possessing firearms. Mathis was also ordered to attend a parenting class and pay court costs.
Court Sentence and Conditions
According to WPBF 25 News, Mathis entered his guilty plea on Thursday and received 403 days of time served along with five years of probation. The outlet reports that the court barred him from contacting the child, ordered him not to possess any weapons and required him to complete parenting classes as part of the sentence.
How Deputies Say the Shooting Unfolded
As reported by WPTV, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade on March 24, 2025 after the toddler arrived with a gunshot wound to his hand. Investigators say the child told a Department of Children and Families investigator that he shot himself after a firearm was left on a couch.
Deputies later found a handgun and a single shell casing in the residence, according to WPTV. The station reports that the gun’s owner told deputies he usually stored the firearm in a snap-sealed box on top of a kitchen cabinet but had accidentally left it on the couch that day.
Charges and Prosecutorial Decision
Per WPBF 25 News, prosecutors ultimately decided not to move forward with a separate culpable negligence charge. Mathis pleaded only to child neglect, which resolves the criminal case while leaving his probation supervision and the court’s no-weapons order firmly in place.
Where This Fits in a Larger Pattern
A report from Everytown Research notes that unintentional shootings by children are a long-running national problem. Between 2015 and 2024, the group’s #NotAnAccident index tracked at least 3,580 incidents that left an estimated 1,382 people dead and 2,317 wounded, underscoring how unsecured guns in homes can turn ordinary spaces into danger zones for young kids.
WPTV’s earlier coverage also reports that Mathis told deputies he heard a loud pop outside the home, wrapped the child’s hand in a towel and drove him to Lakeside Medical Center. With the plea now entered, Mathis will remain under court-ordered probation, which includes monitoring for any contact with the child and strict compliance with the no-firearms restriction, while the child stays under protective measures.
