LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Three men have been charged in the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy by a 3-year-old along the 500 block of Woodward Street on Oct. 18, 2022.
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police filed charges against a juvenile, now 18; Nathaniel Jimenez, now 32; and Rafael Jimenez, now 22, for their roles in the incident.
During the grand jury investigation into the victim's death, Assistant District Attorneys Jennifer Ponessa and Fritz Haverstick called individuals to testify who previously would not provide information to investigators or refused to fully cooperate.
The grand jury reportedly found that the firearm used in the shooting belonged to the charged juvenile and was left loaded on a dining room table, accessible by the victim, 3-year-old and two other minors inside the home at the time.
Several witnesses testified to seeing the charged juvenile "play" with the weapon on multiple occasions and that the juvenile frequently sold drugs out of the house, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
The firearm was identified as a Polymer 80 .9 millimeter with an extended magazine and laser site below the front barrel.
An evidence specialist testified it was a “ghost gun,” a term used to describe a firearm without a serial number that is untraceable and typically bought in parts to be assembled at home.
Lab results confirmed the fatal bullet came from the Polymer 80 firearm.
A search warrant executed at the residence on the day of the shooting subsequently revealed a Harrington Richardson revolver, Taurus .45 handgun, magazines, a laser site, ammunition, and drug packaging materials in the juvenile’s room.
The discovered magazines reportedly only functioned with the firearm that killed the 1-year-old. The charged juvenile's DNA was allegedly on both the revolver and the firearm that killed the child.
Additionally, Nathaniel Jimenez and Rafael Jimenez – the father of the 3-year-old – were in caretaking roles and the only other individuals, and adults, present in the home at the time of the shooting, according to investigators. The juvenile had left shortly before the shooting occurred and left his firearm unattended in the residence.
After the shooting occurred, Nathaniel Jimenez allegedly ran from the scene to get the victim’s father who lived around the block and called 911.
Rafael Jimenez allegedly grabbed his 3-year-old son and ran from the scene. Neither checked for life or attempted life-saving measures on the victim and left the loaded firearm used in the shooting on the dining room table while two minors remained in the residence unattended.
The juvenile, who was 16 at the time of the incident, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, three counts of endangering the welfare of children, three counts of possession of firearm by a minor, three counts of persons not to possess a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.
By law, the juvenile must be charged by issuing a juvenile complaint due to his age at the time of the offense and the most serious offense is not a “direct-file” offense for the criminal justice system.
Nathaniel Jimenez, who was 30 at the time of the incident, is charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of children, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Anyone with information on Jimenez's whereabouts has been asked to contact Lancaster City Police at 717-735-1384 or Detective Burgett at 717-719-4484.
Rafael Jimenez, who was 20 at the time of the incident, is charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of children. He was arrested on June 18 and bail was set at $150,000 unsecured.
