Jefferson Co. Mother Charged In Son’s Death
A lengthy investigation has led to the arrest of the mother of a 2 year old child who died from a gunshot to the face suffered back in March. According to the TBI and the Jefferson County sheriff’s office, on March 23rd, deputies responded to a home on English Drive in Talbott. Upon arrival, they found 2 year old Coltyn Lee Gridley suffering from a gunshot wound. The child was holding a handgun when it went off. Coltyn was transported to a Knoxville hospital, where he died a few days later. After an investigation it was determined that the boy’s mother, 28 year old Destinie Leann-Marie Getchey and 25 year old Christopher Kyle Ray Smith were directly responsible for the toddler’s death.
A Jefferson County Grand Jury returned indictments this week charging Destinie Getchey with one count of Aggravated Child Neglect and one count of Reckless Homicide and charging Christopher Smith with one count of Aggravated Child Neglect. Wednesday afternoon, Getchey was located and arrested in Barnardsville, North Carolina. She is currently being held in the Buncombe County, NC Jail, pending extradition back to Tennessee. Thursday afternoon, Christopher Smith was located and arrested in Greene County before being booked into the Jefferson County Jail last night.