Jury finds Knoxville mother guilty of reckless homicide in girl's shooting death
A jury has found a Knoxville mother guilty of reckless homicide in the 2019 shooting death of her 5-year-old daughter.
Robin Howington, 41, also was found guilty of aggravated child neglect, making a false report, tampering with evidence and attempted tampering with evidence.
Prosecutor Ashley McDermott held up a photo of 5-year-old Destiny Oliver as she told the jury Howington's negligence "is the reason this child is no longer on this earth."
Howington's attorney, Mike Whalen, painted his client as a distraught mother suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who made bad decisions in an attempt to protect others.
The jury didn't buy it, finding Howington guilty after deliberating for less than two hours.
Howington had been charged with first-degree murder, but the jury opted for the lesser included charge of reckless homicide.
Her sentencing is set for April 19, and she will face a minimum of 15 years, the Knox County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.
What happened the night Destiny Oliver was shot and killed?
Howington gave investigators conflicting stories in the hours after police came to her Balsam Drive home in September 2019 and found Destiny Oliver had been shot, according to testimony at the trial.
Howington initially told investigators an unknown man came into the house and shot Destiny once in the chest before escaping in a black Chrysler 300. She later said the girl's father shot Destiny before fleeing in a white Chrysler 300.
Authorities found a gun hidden in a bush near her home. Howington accused her boyfriend of stashing the gun, but a neighbor captured video footage of Howington herself putting it there.
Howington changed her story a third time, police said, saying she wiped down the gun and hid it outside after her 2-year-old son found it in a closet and shot the girl in the chest.
Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville mom found guilty of reckless homicide in daughter's shooting
