A mother has been sentenced to five years in prison for the murder of 41-year-old Rashun Rogers, nearly two years after the woman's child shot and killed him during an argument at an Orlando apartment complex.
Lacrisha Isaac, 33, accepted guilty pleas Friday to charges of manslaughter and manslaughter by leaving a loaded firearm within reach of a minor. In addition to serving her sentence, she agreed to take a four-hour parenting course and undergo substance abuse evaluation and treatment, according to her court filing.
The plea deal comes amid a national debate about how to hold parents accountable for their children's crimes. Most notably, the Michigan case involving school shooter Ethan Crumbley resulted in the parents of a then-15-year-old boy being convicted of manslaughter for failing to recognize signs that he was becoming violent. That's what happened.
Isaac was arrested after the incident in May 2022. The incident occurred when Mr. Isaac and Mr. Rogers got into a fist fight in the breezeway of the Jernigan Gardens apartment complex on Mercy Drive. According to his arrest affidavit, Isaac confronted Rodgers over a social media post and then threw the first punch, before neighbors testified, hitting the 10-year-old with a backpack. It is said that he gave it to him.
The child rummaged through his backpack, retrieved a gun from inside, and fired two shots at Mr. Rogers, hitting him in the head. Neighbors told police they believed they saw Rogers hit Isaac in the head with an unknown object, but the affidavit states that officers “did not see any cuts or injuries on Isaac. There wasn't.”
After firing the fatal gun, the child reportedly yelled, “I shouldn't have hit mommy.” Isaac then took the gun from the child and returned to the apartment pointing the gun at Rogers' boyfriend, who witnesses said Rogers tried to break up the fight before firing.
Rogers was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Isaac is scheduled to be sentenced on June 21st.
