Parents in court while 3-year-old recovers from gunshot wound in hospital

CHICAGO (Fox 32 News) - The parents of the 3-year-old shot in the head were in court on Saturday while he recovered at Comer Children’s Hospital.

Parents Gwendolyn Holloway and Michael Riley were charged Friday with child endangerment. Riley faces additional charges, including one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, one felony count of possession of a controlled substance.

A bond court judge ordered Riley to be held on a $750,000 bail. Holloway was only facing misdemeanor charges and is not in custody.

“They didn't do anything that was negligent or terrible or put their children in dangerous situation, unfortunately sometimes things like this happen,” said the couple’s attorney Nicholas Economakos.

The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. Thursday at the family home in the 6200 block of South Aberdeen.

Police said 3-year-old Jamere Riley was shot in the head while he and three of his siblings played a game of “cops-and-robbers.”

He was rushed to Comer Children's Hospital in critical condition. Economakos said the toddler is doing much better as of Saturday afternoon.

Police said they found the children living in “deplorable” conditions, with no heat or hot water in the home. They did find three weapons all registered to Holloway, who has her FOID card, and 40 small bags of cocaine.

Authorities said the kids found a .40 caliber handgun in a lock box that had been unlocked. The bullet casing near Riley matches the caliber of the weapon recovered.

“She kept her gun in a locked box and it was locked that day,” said Economakos. “This gun was not Mr. Riley's.” 

In 2013, due to neglect, DCFS took custody of one of the couple's children. Officials said they have three documented neglect cases against the parents who on several occasions didn't answer the door for inspections.

The couple's other four children, ages 5-11, are now in DCFS custody with a relative.