Prosecutors: Suspect charged with shooting 1-year-old accidentally pulled trigger on gun

The boyfriend of a 1-year-old baby’s mother meant to pull the trigger on a power drill when he accidentally fired a gun, striking the baby in the back of the head, prosecutors said Monday.

Davaris Washington, 38, appeared in court Monday on charges of reckless discharge of a firearm, unlawful use of a machine gun, reckless conduct causing great bodily harm and possession of a firearm by a repeat offender. The baby was in critical condition after the Saturday shooting, police said.

Washington was ordered detained by a Cook County judge.

Washington invited the baby’s mother over to his apartment late Friday, and she brought the 18-month-old baby to his Chicago Lawn home in her car seat. When she arrived at the apartment in the 6400 block of South Mozart Street, she placed the car seat between two couches in Washington’s living room, prosecutors said.

Washington picked up a gun with his left hand and a cordless drill with his right hand, then walked into the living room. He “attempted to rev the drill in order to determine if it was too loud for the sleeping baby,” according to prosecutors. But he pulled the trigger of the gun instead.

The firearm was equipped with a switch that allowed it to fire multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger. Washington allegedly fired three rounds, leaving bullet holes in parts of the couch and car seat, prosecutors said.

The baby was sleeping in her car seat when she was struck in the back of the head, prosecutors said. The baby’s mom picked her up and saw blood coming from the back of her head, initially thinking a gunshot was fired through the windows from outside.

Washington called 911 and asked the baby’s mother to hide the gun, but didn’t tell her what had happened, prosecutors said.

Police arrived at the scene and detained Washington. They recovered three shell casings, .45 caliber bullets and the gun, which was in Washington’s neighbor’s apartment, prosecutors said.