Gaston County courtroom scene of forgiveness.

Sobbing from two moms pierced a Gaston County courtroom, their tears telling a tragic story of heartbreak extra highly effective than phrases.

Deandura Danner wailed as she buried her face into the neck of her 15-year-old son, Mar, as a prosecutor described that fateful day on Sept. 14, 2021, when his twin sister Nivia “Niv” Danner took an unintended bullet within the chest.

Nobody could have meant to harm the 14-year-old woman that day in a parked automotive in Gastonia, however she nonetheless died on the scene.

Parallel to the Danner household on Thursday, Could 5, sat the family members of Santonio Eskridge, the one who had the gun described in court docket as a “rusty, previous revolver” in his hand. He has spent virtually eight months in jail awaiting this second.

His ankles and wrists are shackled as he stands earlier than Superior Courtroom Choose David Phillips in plastic slippers and an orange jumpsuit, the phrases “Gaston County Jail” emblazoned on the again.

Charged with second-degree homicide in Nivia Danner’s dying, a plea deal permits Eskridge to plead responsible to involuntary manslaughter and two associated offenses.

Phillips sentences the 19-year-old Shelby resident to a jail time period starting from a minimal of 8¾ years to a most of 11½ years, minus the 233 days he spent in jail awaiting his punishment.

“To the household, once more, I simply wish to say I am sorry,” Eskridge stated when the decide requested if he had something to say.

“I apologize to everybody. Niv, you recognize, she had a superb spirit, a superb coronary heart, all the things about her was great,” he stated turning towards her household. “None of it was intentional.”

Eskridge then turns towards his family — a mom, stepfather, sister, cousin, the mom of his baby — and tells them he loves all of them.

“Simply hold praying for me,” he asks.

What occurred that day?

Eskridge, Danner, her twin brother and two others have been using round that Tuesday afternoon once they stopped at a Gastonia bail bonding workplace to attempt to get bail for a good friend of one of many different two within the automotive.

Whereas one of many others went contained in the bail bond workplace, Nivia Danner fidgeted with a knife in her hand, Assistant District Legal professional Zach Holeve stated.

She held the knife towards Eskridge in a “playful” method, and he pointed the gun at her in return. There was no malice, no ailing will, stated Eskridge’s lawyer, Thad Lutz.

The 2 repeat their actions, and this time Nivia Danner slaps on the gun to push it away. Eskridge had already been warned it didn’t take a lot drive on the gun’s set off to make it discharge, Holeve stated.

The gun fires, a bullet lodges in Danner’s chest. She dies on the scene, Holeve stated.

“This plea can’t replicate the worth of Niv Danner’s life. We all know that,” stated Holeve. “However what’s does do is replicate the culpability the defendant has in her killing.”