Sobbing father pleads guilty to manslaughter after his four-year-old son kills himself with his handgun

• Terrance Allen was doing the school run when his son found gun in car
• Akron father breaks down in court over tragic incident this January

A 49-year-old father sobbed in court on Tuesday as he pleaded guilty to manslaughter after his four-year-old son shot himself in the head after finding a handgun in their car.
Terrance Allen faces a sentence of between three and 11 years over the devastating incident that happened during the school run in Akron on January 23.
Allen, who was found cradling his son Jamarcus by the side of the road by police officers, also faces charges for not having a license for the firearm.

Inconsolable: Tears stream down Terrance Allen's face as he pleads guilty to manslaughter after his four-year-old son shot himself after finding a handgun in the family's car

No details of the shooting were revealed in court, but police said Jamarcus found a gun in the back seat of his father's car and accidentally shot himself, according to Ohio.com.
Relatives from both sides of the boy's family were in court for Allen's appearance. As part of his plea deal the court will hear impact statements from the family.

 

At the time of the shooting it was revealed that Jarmarcus had been told off by his mother only a week before, after being found playing with the gun, which was supposedly hidden in the bathroom wall.
Jamella Allen told Ohio.com she had ordered her husband to get rid of the pistol. Although the couple were going through a divorce, they still shared a house with Ms Allen's 18-year-old son Tyree Rugs.

Trial: Terrance Allen with his attorney, Rufus Sims, left, faces a judge after his son killed himself

Tragic: Four-year-old Jamarcus Allen was told off for playing with the gun a week before the shooting

According to witnesses, after the shooting Allen pulled over and flagged down a police car.
By the time the deputy arrived, Allen was cradling his son outside the car.
A single bullet hole was allegedly visible in the car's roof, and witnesses said they saw a pool of blood in the foot well.
Jamarcus was rushed to Akron Children’s Hospital where he was declared dead.
Shortly afterwards, Ms Allen paid tribute to her son, who loved comic book heroes and was always on the move.
'Jamarcus wouldn’t stop. He was so full of life. The only way he would stop was when he would fall asleep. That’s the only thing that would slow him down,' she said.
When Allen appeared in court this week, his jaw muscles were tightly clenched and he kept his head bowed.
As Summit County Judge Judy Hunter accepted the plea, the father broke down and had to be consoled by his lawyer.

Emergency: Terrance Allen flagged police down and cradled his son in his arms after the shooting

Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Jonathan Baumoel said no promises had been made about the sentence.
Because Allen had a previous burglary charge from 1996 he had been barred from owning a gun. He faces a possible sentence of between nine months to three years for breaking that condition.
Because he cannot afford his $350,000 bond, Allen will remain in custody until his sentencing, which is due to take place on July 16.