When 15-year-old Onardo Bent was critically injured last Saturday morning when he was shot, police originally said the shooting happened while he was riding his bike to his uncle’s house in Pine Hills.
But investigators said that story was made up. They said the uncle, Dickale Cothrell, was the one who shot his nephew, and then tried to cover it all up.
“He came out, was handling the firearm, the teen was there in the living room area when the round went off, he was struck, and went down immediately,” said Capt. Angelo Nieves with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Bent was unconscious at the hospital for days, unable to tell anyone what really happened. But investigators said Thursday night he came to, and told deputies that it was his uncle who accidentally shot him.
Cothrell said nothing as he was taken into custody Friday night. But investigators said the 28-year-old admits to police he shot his nephew, but that it was an accident as he was handling his gun.
He said he tried to cover the whole thing up, and convince his girlfriend and other people at the home to help him cover it up, because he was on probation and afraid of what could happen.
Cothrell is facing culpable negligence and probation violation charges.
Investigators said his nephew is lucky to be alive.
“The child is in the hospital still recovering from his wounds, and doing better, and we’re very grateful as is his family is, that will be able to recover, hopefully 100 percent,” Nieves said.
Investigators say Cothrell could face more charges, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t ruled out charges against other people as well.