Indiana mom pleads not guilty in daughter’s fatal shooting

GARY, Ind. – A northwestern Indiana woman has pleaded not guilty to neglect charges stemming from her 2-year-old daughter’s shooting death.

Twenty-two-year-old Dashana Fowler of Gary entered her not guilty plea during a Monday court hearing. She faces one count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and three counts of neglect of a dependent.

Fowler’s daughter, Jayla Miller, died Sept. 4 after being shot in the head inside a home in Gary. Three other children were at the house during the shooting.

Court documents say Fowler’s son told investigators his sister reached under a pillow, grabbed a handgun and shot herself.

The Post-Tribune reports that a Lake County judge granted a request by Fowler’s public defender for a bail reduction hearing on Sept. 24. She’s being held on a $150,000 surety bond.

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Information from: Post-Tribune, http://posttrib.chicagotribune.com/