From Law & Crime · · 2m
Mom avoids long prison sentence after 3-year-old shoots himself
Ohio mother gets six months community control after son dies by self-inflicted gunshot.
In brief
Ohio mother gets six months community control after son dies by self-inflicted gunshot. Carley Dials, 30, avoided prison after her 3-year-old son Cartier Smith died by self-inflicted gunshot in their Columbus, Ohio home. Originally reported by Law & Crime.
Case summary
Carley Dials, 30, avoided trial after her 3-year-old son Cartier Smith died by self-inflicted gunshot in their Columbus, Ohio home.
Charges and plea
Dials pleaded guilty to obstructing justice, avoiding involuntary manslaughter and endangering children charges.
Incident timeline
Dials slept with Sean Perrin, 32, when Cartier found the gun Dials tried to hide and shot himself.
Perrin's charges
Perrin pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and having a weapon under disability, avoiding additional charges.
911 call details
Dials made a 911 call while Perrin fled the apartment, where Cartier was found with a gunshot wound.
Perrin's background
Perrin had been arrested in March 2025 for violating parole after a 2019 gun conviction.
Dials' actions
Dials hid the gun between mattress and wall before sleeping, but Cartier found it.
Perrin's sentencing
Perrin scheduled for sentencing on December 10, 2026, after pleading guilty to reckless homicide.
Dials' sentence
Dials received six months community control after pleading guilty to obstructing justice.
Death date
Cartier died of a gunshot wound on September 22, 2025, after finding the gun.
Perrin's plea deal
An additional charge of having a weapon under disability was dropped as part of Perrin's plea agreement.
Police response
Police arrived at the apartment after Dials made the 911 call, finding Cartier with a gunshot wound.
Dials' account
Dials said she found Perrin's gun on the bedroom floor around 3 a.m. and hid it between mattress and wall.
Perrin's status
Perrin is scheduled for sentencing on December 10, 2026, after pleading guilty to reckless homicide.
Consequence
Dials avoided prison after her son's death by self-inflicted gunshot in their home.
The bottom line
Carley Dials, 30, avoided prison after her 3-year-old son Cartier Smith died by self-inflicted gunshot in their Columbus, Ohio home.
