Cousin charged in connection with Lenoir teen’s death

On April 10, Kent Taylor, 15, was shot to death in a Lenoir apartment. Two people are now charged in connection with his death.

Dusty Boston, the victim’s cousin, and Christie Eanes were silent as they walked to jail Friday.

Police say a group was gathered in an Atwood Drive apartment the night of the shooting when Boston, 24, was messing around with a 9 mm pistol. The handgun is described as having the safety built into the trigger.

Taylor reportedly asked Boston to stop playing with the gun, for fear that someone would get hurt, but he continued to eject cartridges from the weapon. At some point, police say the gun went off, hitting Taylor in the stomach.

The apartment belonged to Eanes, who was not at the apartment when the gun went off. But police say she returned shortly after the gun went off.

Witnesses told police that someone there grabbed something to stop the bleeding, and Taylor’s mother was called. When she arrived, she gave her son CPR.

Some of the people inside the apartment scattered, including Boston, and the weapon was reportedly thrown into the woods behind the apartment.

Police responded to the 911 call at 11:19 p.m. Friday. Taylor was pronounced dead on the scene by the Lenoir Fire Department and Caldwell County EMS, according to police.

Boston has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Eanes is also facing charges. Police say she provided alcohol to Taylor.

This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Cousin charged in connection with Lenoir teen’s death."