Parents speak out after 15-year-old daughter is shot, killed

EDWARDSBURG, Mich. -- Two Cass County parents are grieving the loss of their 15-year-old daughter and demanding justice after she was apparently accidentally shot and killed by a 12-year-old Sunday.

Just after 1:30 Sunday afternoon, Jessica Heroy’s parents say she was at the home of a 12-year-old on Maple Street in Edwardsburg.

They say he took a gun out of a safe, thinking it was not loaded, pointed it at her and then fired.

A bullet from the in-fact loaded gun hit Jessica and killed her on the scene.

“Jessie loved everything, she was an outgoing person,” said Heather Rocha, Jessica’s mother.

Heather Rocha and Mickey Heroy were surrounded by loved ones today as they try and grapple with the loss of their teenage daughter.

“I always told her you can’t trust everybody, if it seems like a bad situation to go the opposite way,” said Mickey Heroy, Jessica’s father.

Focusing first – on holding a funeral and honoring Jessie – but then, making sure there’s accountability.

“I’d like to see justice done, she was with her buddy and her buddy said that guy was OK, but clearly it wasn’t,” said Heroy.

Both parents say while they understand there may have been no intention for that 12-year-old gunman to take Jessie’s life, they can’t forgive before there’s a full investigation done. 

“There is an investigation going on and I do want justice, eventually I will forgive but right now I can’t,” said Rocha.

Ontwa Township police have been investigating and have not released that 12-year-old boy’s name yet or any charges.

A GoFundMe has been created which the family says will be crucial in being able to hold a funeral for Jessie.