Hearing set for mother of five-year-old shooter

Thursday, April 8, 2010

A Mountain Home woman faces a preliminary hearing May 12 in connection with the accidental shooting of a local youth.

During an appearance before Judge David Epis this morning, Molly Harman waived her right to a speedy trial, indicating a need for additional time to prepare for her pending trial.

Harman, 35, was charged last month with one count of felony injury to children after her five-year-old son wounded a Mountain Home High School student Feb. 3.

If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison.

According to reports from the Mountain Home Police Department, her son found a 9mm semi-automatic pistol belonging to her husband in the couple's home. The weapon was left in a zippered, soft-covered bag although the reports didn't indicate where in the home it was kept.

The child opened the bag containing the gun, took the loaded weapon outside to play, the report added. He then fired several rounds, one of which struck Leonard Partinda, 16, in the abdomen.

Partinda was walking with friends to grab some lunch at the nearby Maverick store when he was shot at the corner of North 10th East and East Jackson streets.

The teen recently returned to school following two surgeries and several weeks of recovery. His continues to improve since the shooting, his mother said as they left the court room following today's court hearing.

The family met with Partinda's surgeon in Boise earlier this morning, who updated them on his recovery. While still unable to participate in physical fitness activities, the teen continues to attend classes at the high school.

Elmore County Prosecutor Kristina Schindele reviewed the case for a month before deciding to charge Harman with the felony. In her filing, Schindele contends that she "did willfully cause or permit a child to be placed in a situation endangering his health or person... by having a loaded firearm accessible" to the child, who then took it outside, discharged it and wounded Partinda.

Harman, formerly known as McFadden, married her live-in boyfriend, Nathaniel Harman, on April 2. She was not arrested following the filing of the charges.

As a condition of her release, the judge prohibited Harman from keeping firearms in her home.

Meanwhile, the county prosecutor's office recently turned over jurisdiction of her husband's case to officials at Mountain Home Air Force Base. A senior airman, he serves as an aircraft structural maintenance journeyman with the 366th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Although not charged in county court, it's possible he could face charges and subsequent punishment from his commander or through the base's legal system. As of Thursday, Harman was not charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

"It is Air Force policy not to comment on any cases while they are under investigation or being reviewed," according to a statement released by the base. "This protects an individuals' privacy rights as well as avoids prejudicing potential criminal proceedings."

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  • I wonder if their lawyer told them to get married so they don't have to testify against each other if they are husband and wife. This will be just the excuse the prosecutor needs to drop the charges from a felony charge. I feel the victim, his family and the community won't see justice in this case.

    -- Posted by Retirmentcanbefun on Thu, Apr 8, 2010, at 3:22 PM
  • So which child is she being charged with endangering? The victim or her own? Because it should be BOTH of them! Saw her at her house this afternoon laughing and smoking a cigarette like it was just another ordinary day because like the previous comment stated, SHE, along with the rest of the community are pretty sure she will get off on this like she has all of the other crimes shes been charged with prior to this one.

    -- Posted by mhg4316 on Thu, Apr 8, 2010, at 3:53 PM
  • Well, according to idahoclover, in her previous charges and susequent findings she was found to not be guilty. On a technicality, of course. Apparently guilty doesn't necessarily MEAN guilty in EC. Shame on me for not really knowing the CIRCUMSTANCES surrounding the events. Petit theft doesn't REALLY mean you stole something belonging to someone else. Driving without proof of insurance doesn't REALLY mean that you didn't have insurance. You were pulled over only because the cop THOUGHT you were driving without insurance. Possession of stolen merchandise doesn't REALLY mean you had stolen stuff - it belonged to someone else. Honest, and I don't know how it ended up in my house. HONEST! And the gun belonged to an ex-girlfriend. HONEST, it wasn't mine and I DON'T know how it got in my house.

    More time to prepare a defense. Prepare what? Oh, that's right, I don't know the circumstances surrounding the event. I am sure there is going to be some great excuse and explantation there. And the 16 year old and his family that has suffered because of this - you have my sympathy having to rely on EC to prosecute this case. Good luck to your family and I hope your son fully recovers from all of this.

    -- Posted by bearhunter on Thu, Apr 8, 2010, at 6:40 PM
  • Sorry, NoOne, but when someone's 5 year old is wandering around unattended with a loaded gun in his hands, it IS everyone's life and business. And the 16 year old probably had a pretty good one up until he was shot. Get a life you say? Maybe she should have conducted hers more responsibly. BTW, you really do have potty mouth. Hope you are censored!

    -- Posted by bearhunter on Thu, Apr 8, 2010, at 9:16 PM
  • I apologize for seeming confused. You are telling me that the 5 year old WAS attended and WAS allowed to have a loaded gun? Sorry - which is it?????

    -- Posted by bearhunter on Fri, Apr 9, 2010, at 10:26 AM
  • I wil not shut up...I KNOW this person, if you commit a crime one, and then again, and again, and again apparenty the "punishment" was not one at all!!! You can say "thats not what happened" until your blue in the face, but guess what did happen, a young mans life will forver be changed because Mommy neede a nap! THAT DID HAPPEN! I feel sorry for her children! Not Eyeballed for 2 seconds? Count to 2 genius....IS that really how long it took for him to get the gun, take the gun outside, and shoot another child? Amazing the ignorrance you are spouting here. You are representing your friend in a wonderful way. Birds of a feather......

    -- Posted by mhg4316 on Fri, Apr 9, 2010, at 12:12 PM
  • Retirmentcanbefun - It appears that their (her) lawyer is the EC public defender.

    -- Posted by bearhunter on Fri, Apr 9, 2010, at 2:34 PM
  • Rumor has it that the 5 yr old was seen outside with the same gun a couple days before the incident happened. The police weren't called because Mom must of been watching that day and took the gun away from him.

    No gun should be loaded and laying out where a 5 yr old can get a hold of it.

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Sat, Apr 10, 2010, at 1:07 PM
  • Your completly right mhg4316, she should be charged with both. If she has not been convicted of all the other crims than most of all she should get the max for this one. i know Nathan, he is not a bad person. Maybe a stupid one but not bad, and his children love him.. I have no idea why in the world he would ever disrespeact him self, and his children to marry such a weman but he did. He has always been a good provider, and has never been so irrisponible untill now. Hopefully he will get his head on straight and see what is really happening! i hope the family of the 16 year old gets justice!

    -- Posted by Caroline on Sat, Apr 10, 2010, at 3:02 PM
  • NoOne,

    I have lived in MH basically my entire life, I know her....went to Jr HIgh and High School with her. I feel VERY sorry for her children being raised by a mother who is clearly unstable! I am not against guns, or responsible people owning them, but she is clearly irresponsible, CLEARLY. And the fact that this was not the first time this little boy had the gun is insane. It happened once, you put the gun away, unload it, lock it up but she obviously has better things to do than look after her guns, or her children. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone has a 5 year old child who shoots another child while you are napping.....So YES, I am terribly concerned for those kids, and MINE, who walk that way home from school every day, it could have been my daughter, or my son. Or maybe even yours, would you be ok with the fact if she said that "I just looked away for 2 seconds" if your child was almost killed? Ya, thats what I thought....I hope she goes to prison and has to pay the family for every penny they have to pay for their sons medical bills, present and future concerning this incident! And I hope her children are in counseling to deal with all of this as it must be agonizing to them too....

    -- Posted by mhg4316 on Sat, Apr 10, 2010, at 8:01 PM
  • Bottom line - a 16 year old young man was almost killed because Molly wasn't being responsible. All of the other stuff, well, sounds to me like a bunch of trailer park trash. There seems to be a lot of finger pointing at each other for things that don't simply matter. Who is doing who sounds about par for this course but the fact remains that a very serious incident happened and Molly WAS responsible, I don't care what any of you say.

    Who is going to pay this families medical bills? Molly isn't because she can't even afford an attorney. And yes, our tax dollars DO pay for the public defender. Makes me angry that time after time, she breaks the law and then gets court appointed representation. Does she have a job??? How is she going to make restitution for the results of her irresponsible actions??

    Two seconds of not eye-balling her child was a stupid, idiotic thing to say to try and defend her actions. It really makes me wonder just what kind of care this little boy is really getting.

    I have already taken the 12th of May off to be in the courtroom to see what happens. Can't wait to see what really comes out. And am very curious as to how Elmore County prosecting attorney will handle this one.

    -- Posted by bearhunter on Sun, Apr 11, 2010, at 12:40 PM
  • I comepletly agree, and the "thing" didnt cheat on her ex husband.. Either way it really dosnt matter.. I hope she rots in Jail. She keeps getting away with all these crims, and its not fair to this 16 year old, or his family if she gets away with another one..

    -- Posted by Caroline on Sun, Apr 11, 2010, at 2:06 PM
  • What alot of you don't know that ISN'T in the news. But I feel needs to be.

    I called the police the day BEFORE the shooting, about this child being in the middle of the street with a bike and throwing sticks at cars (one landed on my car, scratching the top) and he was standing there sticking his tongue out at cars. Where were his parents? I have no idea because there were none around. I had my phone in my hand and told the kid, "stick your tongue out..I have the police on the phone" and he ran towards his house. Again no parent looking out windows in the yard..nothing! I called the police and continued to the HS where I needed to go. The police told me they would drive by. OBVIOUSLY this child is outside at this time everyday..and mom takes a nap at this time as the shooting happened at around the same time. Going to the police about the shooting and what had happened with the stick throwing, the police who talked to me confirmed it was the same child and also told me they were looking for the neighbor who had saw the child shoot the boy and ran into the house and the child jumped up on the bed where the mother was SLEEPING and the neighbor yelled, "Your son shot someone!"

    Obviously this mother is not responsible. The child does what he wants. My opinion..mother should be in jail and the child needs to be taken and placed with parents who can teach this child rules, respect, and responsibility!

    -- Posted by tchtc5 on Sun, Apr 11, 2010, at 2:34 PM
  • I agree this Mother was iresponsible. Besides the "she cheated on her ex husband" back and forth banter is not even the point of the story.

    If she is going to take a nap then that little 5 yr old should of been napping with her, not outside unsupervised. There should not have been a loaded gun in the home where a little child could get his hands on unsupervised. It is what it is .....the Mother was negligent in caring for her boy. I hope she is being watched and the boy should be placed in foster care, if he's not already and hopefully she is made to go to some parenting classes

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, Apr 11, 2010, at 6:50 PM
  • She has another child too. Oh boy....

    -- Posted by mhg4316 on Sun, Apr 11, 2010, at 11:11 PM
  • Goodness...this entire line of posting should be deleted. Seems people have lost sight of what they are supposed to be talking about.

    -- Posted by ItsJustMeAgain on Mon, Apr 12, 2010, at 8:27 AM
  • Itsjustmeagain - I agree that these postings got away from the main focus. But, in so doing, there were alot of things that came out that gave a better perspective of the individuals character, background and what really may have happened. Although all of that will eventually come out in court, I think this forum has given people the chance to vent their displeasure, their frustrations and opinions on something that has affected alot of people. And this is the only way those people have a voice at something that is indeed public information. Although Ms. Harman's prior arrests, convictions and sentences didn't affect me directly, as an individual who obeys the law, was responsible for the actions and well being of my children and myself, the costs of her actions eventually is funneled down indirectly to all of us.

    Like I said, I will be there May 12 to hear for myself what really happened that day. And to watch and see how Elmore County handles this. I only hope that justice prevails in this case and that the family that it affected is compensated for all of their medical bills, their mental anguish and upheaval of their lives. And that Ms. Harman be fairly tried and convicted. Maybe through all of this, she will learn how to be a responsible adult and parent.

    -- Posted by bearhunter on Mon, Apr 12, 2010, at 12:27 PM
  • NoOne, you are her best friend according to your prior posts. How did you not know she still had guns and why would that suprise you? Maybe now your blinders are off.

    -- Posted by Outof MH on Tue, Apr 13, 2010, at 12:38 PM
  • I don't believe that ANY of her life other than what goes on with this child has anything to do with this. Who cares who she slept with or will sleep with or was married to and what other crimes she committed? None of that matters right now. The well being of this child is all that matters.

    Some day it will hit this child HARD what he did and he's going to need a lot of therapy for it. What needs to be done is this child needs to be taken away and placed in a stable home where he will be watched and cared for. Apparently, this mother is NOT the person to do this.

    Everything else is just gossip and has no place in the conversation. People can go to her court hearing if that's what they want to do, just don't expect that she'll be convicted based on who she slept with or any other crimes.

    Let's hope she is convicted and does her time and that in the mean time, her child is given a chance at a normal, happy, healthy life with someone who will care for him properly. Let's hope the boy who was shot will lead as normal of a life as possible with the family who loves him and let's hope both are able to get help if they need it.

    -- Posted by ItsJustMeAgain on Wed, Apr 14, 2010, at 6:44 PM
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