One of the biggest surprises – and announcements – from Mayor Tom Henry’s State of the City address had little to do with city government at all.INDIANAPOLIS – A 4-year-old Indianapolis boy picked up a gun left lying on a kitchen table and fired a shot that killed the 3-year-old daughter of his father’s girlfriend, police said Friday.
After finding the gun, the boy pointed the loaded .45-caliber handgun at Aunesti Lee Allen’s head before firing, Lt. Jeff Duhamell of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said.
Police said the girl’s mother, Fiona C. Lee, 26, was home at the time of the shooting Thursday.
She was arrested on charges of child neglect and drug charges after officers found cocaine and marijuana in the home. She was being held Friday at the Marion County Jail.
Preschooler alerts parents to fire
Fire officials say a 4-year-old boy heard a smoke detector going off and rousted his sleeping parents in time to escape from a fire in their Indianapolis home.
The smoke alarm woke up Tyler Morefield about 2:45 a.m. Friday and he ran screaming into his parents’ bedroom. Fire Capt. Rita Burris says the family and their three dogs safely fled the house as smoke and flames came from the basement.
Tyler’s parents said he had learned about fire safety in a preschool class.
Fundraising push on for school activities
Organizers are planning a weekend push toward reaching a $750,000 fundraising goal for paying coaches and extracurricular sponsors in a southern Indiana school district.
The Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools launched the drive after budget cuts for the Bloomington district in June eliminated the stipends paid to sports coaches along with sponsors for arts, clubs, academic competitions and other areas.
Foundation director Tina Peterson says about $440,000 had been raised through Thursday.
Volunteers hope to have 1,000 vehicles for a fundraising car wash today at Bloomington South High School and online donations will continue to be accepted over the weekend.
Whatever the campaign raises by Sunday’s deadline will be distributed proportionately to the district’s 400-plus coaches and sponsors.
Teens charged with blowing up toilets
Authorities say three teenage boys are suspected of using explosive fireworks to destroy public toilets in LaPorte County.
Police were called to Stone Lake beach Thursday after witnesses heard explosions and saw boys running away. The boys ages 13 to 15 were held at the LaPorte Police Station on Thursday and later charged with criminal mischief. Damage was estimated at more than $1,000.
