Submitted photo Carla Molina is shown holding her grandson, De’Vonte Ja’Ton Housley Jr., in this 2021 photo. De’Vonte was killed Oct. 22 in what police are calling an “accidental shooting.”

YOUNGSTOWN — As Youngstown police investigate circumstances that led to Sunday’s shooting death of a 7-year-old boy, his grandmother, who calls the death “careless” and “preventable,” already has her mind made up. She says courts should have left the child in her custody.

De’Vonte Ja’Ton Housley Jr. was pronounced dead the morning of Oct. 22 at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital after officers found the child shot in a South Side home in the 300 block of Marmion Avenue.

Officers began life-saving measures as they arrived and waited for paramedics. An ambulance crew transported the boy to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, where later he was pronounced dead, according to a Youngstown police.

Police on Sunday said they believed the death was an “accidental shooting.”

Youngstown police detective Lt. Mohammad Awad said in a prepared statement, “We have not ruled out other possibilities and will continue the difficult process of investigating this tragic death. We will also confer with prosecutors down the road regarding possible charges.”

De’Vonte was a second-grader at Youngstown Community School. Educators from the school shared their condolences on social media, recalling the smiles and hugs they received from him daily.

“He was such a sweet kid, one that didn’t deserve this. No child deserves this,” his grandmother, Carla Molina, said Tuesday afternoon.

Molina said prior to her grandson being released into the custody of his mother in 2021, he had spent the first six years of his life being raised in her care.

“He had manners, he was respectable and lovable because that’s what I instilled in him,” Molina said, adding she believes her grandson’s life should have and could have been different for him. “I taught him to walk, how to talk; I taught him to remember his address and his phone number. That was my baby.”

Molina said she believes if he had remained in her care, he still would be alive today.

“His father is heartbroken. Every single one of us is not taking it well,” Molina said. “We’re a very small but tight-knit family, so none of us are in a good headspace right now.”

Molina said all she wants now is justice for her grandchild and truth of what happened to come to light.

“To my grandson, you didn’t die in vain baby,” Molina said “Grandma is going to fight until there’s no fight left in her because somebody will be held accountable because that sweet boy should still be here to give me hugs and kisses.”

Investigators ask that anyone with information about this shooting to call the Youngstown Police Department Detective Division at 330-742-8911 or Crime Stoppers at 330-746-CLUE. Tips remain anonymous, and a reward may be available.