St. Louis woman charged after 12-year-old shoots, kills younger brother

St. Louis police say a 36-year-old woman has been charged with a misdemeanor after her 12-year-old nephew was shot and killed by his younger brother.

Aja Johnson was charged Thursday with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. A probable cause statement says that on Tuesday, three children were playing unattended in a bedroom where a loaded gun was lying on a bed.

According to the statement, a 10-year-old picked up the gun, pointed it at his brother thinking it was unloaded and pulled the trigger.

Johnson is being held without bail at the City Justice Center.