Woman agrees to plead guilty in daughter’s shooting death

GARY, Ind. – A northwestern Indiana woman has agreed to plead guilty to a reduced neglect charge stemming from her 2-year-old daughter’s shooting death.

Twenty-two-year-old Dashana Fowler of Gary agreed Monday to plead guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury in the Sept. 4 death of Jayla Miller.

Under the plea agreement, Fowler will be sentenced to three years in prison. She originally was charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in a death, which carries a prison sentence of 20 to 40 years.

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

Fowler also agreed to testify against her former boyfriend, a convicted felon accused of owning the gun that killed Jayla.

Her sentencing is set for June 3.