An Ohio woman was sentenced to nine to twelve years in prison this week for a shooting that left her infant granddaughter severely injured. Mia Harris, who confessed to firing the shot that struck her 5-month-old granddaughter in the face last December, pleaded guilty to felonious assault charges earlier this month, according to court records. The tragedy unfolded in Liberty Township, where officers responded to reports of an infant with a gunshot wound to the head.
In court, Destiny Buffington, the mother of the injured child, addressed Harris directly, confronting her about the life-altering impact of her actions. “What you did will never go away,” Buffington said, recounting the horror of the incident. She shared that she had to plead for her own life before Harris turned the gun on the baby. Her child’s permanent injuries will serve as a reminder of that day, she added.
Following the shooting, the baby was rushed to UC West Chester Hospital in critical condition, where she spent over two months recovering. Buffington revealed that the young girl now faces lifelong complications, including vision impairment and frequent seizures. “Your eye vision is split, so she sees out of a certain angle,” Buffington said, describing her daughter’s ongoing challenges.
Authorities identified Harris as the shooter after family members at the scene reported that she had fired at several relatives before intentionally aiming at the infant. A Butler County Sheriff’s press release indicated that Harris fled but was later apprehended without incident. Prosecutors argued that substance abuse influenced Harris’s behavior, while her defense pointed to underlying mental health issues as contributing factors.
The sentencing brings a partial close to a deeply traumatic chapter for the family, yet for Buffington and her daughter, the consequences remain. Harris, who will serve a minimum of nine years, will be barred from contact with the family.
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