Aletha Amanii Marie Burke, a six-year-old girl from Sanford, Florida, tragically lost her life on March 1, 2016. Aletha was playing on the living room floor of a family member's house when she discovered a loaded pistol underneath the couch. The gun discharged as she picked it up, sending a bullet through her shoulder and exiting near her bottom. Despite being rushed to the hospital by Erick Dominick Williams, the family member responsible for babysitting her, Aletha succumbed to her injuries
shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Erick Dominick Williams, who was supposed to be supervising Aletha, was arrested and charged with child neglect and unsafe storage of a firearm. Additionally, he faced charges for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Williams had a criminal record dating back to 1999, including charges for cocaine trafficking, marijuana possession, and fleeing police. Despite his criminal history, he had never served prison time in Florida. Following Aletha's death, Williams was held in the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Sanford.
The incident highlighted the dangers of unsecured firearms in homes, especially around children. Sanford police emphasized the importance of responsible gun ownership and the need for secure storage of firearms to prevent such tragedies. The police department also offered free gun locks to the public and organized gun-safety courses to educate residents on proper firearm storage.
Aletha's death was not an isolated incident in Sanford. Just a week prior, another child in the area had found an unsecured gun and accidentally shot themselves, though they survived. These incidents underscored the urgent need for increased awareness and preventive measures to ensure the safety of children in homes with firearms.
