An Ohio woman, aged 43, has admitted to a horrifying act of domestic violence in which she shot her six-month-old granddaughter in the eye. The infant, who miraculously survived the incident, is currently on the path to recovery.
The woman, Mia Desiree Harris, accepted a plea deal on Tuesday, pleading guilty to felonious assault charges, according to court documents. As part of the agreement, two other charges related to alleged assaults on other family members were dropped.
The incident took place in the early hours of December 9. Butler County deputies received a distress call around 1:50 a.m. about an infant who had been shot at a residence on Dutch View Court in Liberty Township, approximately 25 miles north of Cincinnati, as per a statement from the sheriff’s office.
A chilling 911 call recorded the mother’s frantic plea for help, repeatedly stating that her baby had been shot. Upon arrival, first responders discovered the infant with a gunshot wound to the head, specifically her eye. The baby was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but has since shown significant signs of recovery.
Investigations revealed that Harris did not solely target the infant. She also fired shots at several other family members before intentionally aiming at the child. The criminal complaint details Harris breaking down a locked bedroom door after shooting through it multiple times and physically assaulting another family member by striking them in the face.
Witnesses quickly identified Harris as the shooter. She fled the scene before deputies arrived but was apprehended shortly afterward. During questioning, Harris offered a shocking justification for her actions, stating, “That was not my grandbaby. Sorry, not sorry,” and accused her family of trying to steal her money. An investigator testified that Harris felt her actions were justified, claiming her family had “crucified her,” leading her to retaliate.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones expressed his disgust over the incident, labeling it one of the most heinous acts he’s encountered in his career. “It wasn’t an accident. It was on purpose. This is one of the most disgusting, vile criminal acts I’ve ever seen, shooting a 6-month-old baby,” Jones stated. “What makes it even worse is this is the baby’s grandmother.”
Harris is set to be sentenced on October 29 and could face up to 15 years in prison for her appalling actions.