Mom of boy who shot brother sentenced

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A Morgan County judge sentenced 29-year-old Amanda Vandagrifft to six months behind bars for the shooting death of her 6-year-old son back in June 2011. Vandagrifft's then 11-year-old son shot and killed his little brother in their home.

Vandagrifft and her boyfriend, now husband, were not home at the time of the shooting. Prosecutors say the mom failed to lock up her .22-caliber rifle and ammunition before leaving home to go on a wrecker run.

"The weapon was in (her) bedroom, the ammunition was in (her) bedroom, nothing was locked up," said Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega.

Before final sentencing, Judge Thomas Gray chastised Vandagrifft saying:

"Society demands we not leave our children alone ... You didn't grasp the reality you neglected your children. Andrew (your son) is dead. I'll agree you didn't pull the trigger, but you didn't do anything to stop it either."

Vandagrifft faced up to 14 years behind bars. The judge sentenced her to eight years but suspended all but six months. She will serve that time in the Morgan County Jail. Vandagrifft will also serve two years of home detention and eight years probation.

This summer, her husband, Matthew Boulden, pleaded guilty for his role and was sentenced to just one day in prison.

Vandagrifft had pleaded guilty to to one charge of neglect of a dependent after her son fatally shot his brother in June 2011.