DOB: 10/29/2001

Case Number: 2301194CFFA

Young Guns Defendant Sentenced to Prison in Shooting Death of 18-Month-Old Toddler

BUNNELL – During a hearing this morning, Young Guns defendant C.J. Nelson Jr. was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He pleaded in February to Manslaughter with a Firearm.

On the evening of September 3, 2023, Nelson, who was 21 years old at the time, was at a Palm Coast home with a group of people.

The defendant was handling a rifle that he had posed with for a social media picture. He inadvertently pulled the trigger and the bullet went through the wall.

An 18-month-old toddler was playing in the hallway with her mother when the bullet struck her in the head and killed her.

At the time of his initial arrest, Nelson was on probation for Improper Exhibition of a Dangerous Weapon and Possession of Cannabis Less Than 20 Grams. According to the Order of Probation, Nelson was prohibited from possessing, carrying or owning any firearm.

“The mother witnessed her daughter’s death at the hands of the toddler’s uncle and the mother’s brother,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “It is hard to imagine a more heart-wrenching scenario.”

The case was investigated by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorneys Mark Johnson and Jason Lewis successfully prosecuted the case for the state. The Honorable Dawn Nichols presided over the case and pronounced sentence.