The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)

Child recovering after allegedly being shot by mom

- By Tara O'Neill

PLYMOUTH — The child wounded in a deadly shooting in Terryville last week is stable and “getting stronger each day,” according to a fundraiser for the family.

As the community continues to rally around the Bell family, a GoFundMe page was created this week by Susan DiAngelis Owens.

“We are hoping, as a community, we can offer some financial assistance for funeral and long- term medical care costs for the children involved,” Owens said in her descriptio­n for the fundraiser. “All proceeds will go directly to the Bell family.”

As of Friday morning, more than 300 donors had raised $ 27,540.

The shooting happened on Nov. 13 at the Bells’ Terryville home. The 15-year-old was killed and a 7-year-old remains hospitaliz­ed.

“He is stable and growing stronger each day with the love, care and support he is receiving from his family and hospital staff,” Owens said. “His healing journey is uncertain at this time.”

Owens said she raised the fundraiser goal to $40,000 in the hopes of being able to ensure the cost of any additional medical bills will be covered.

The community gathered virtually last weekend for a vigil.

The children’s mother, 43-year-old Naomi Bell, appeared in court Monday in connection with the charges from this case — murder with special circumstan­ces and criminal attempt to commit murder with special circumstan­ces.

Jassette Henry, Bell’s public defender, said her client recently had two “psychiatri­c episodes” that required her to be hospitaliz­ed for more than two weeks.

According to an affidavit of probable cause for the arrest, Owen Bell told investigat­ors his wife became depressed after her sister died in 2013. He said his wife’s condition worsened when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

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