OAKLAND — Relatives of an Oakland toddler who accidentally shot himself in the head last week are meeting with Sacramento lawmakers, hoping to press the governor to let the boy’s father out of prison for what may be a final hospital visit.
The doctors are starting to take Navaun Jackson off coma-inducing drugs, but Nathan Jackson has never held his child or kissed his forehead.
Four-year-old Navaun was born after his father went to prison for assault. Now the boy lies in a medically induced coma at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland. He accidentally shot himself in the head with a gun he found under a pillow last week.
It’s not clear whether there will be any brain function once doctors cut off the medication to Navaun, so relatives are appealing to Gov. Newsom to let Jackson visit the boy in person.
“If his son dies, how is he going to be able to attend his funeral?” said Navaun's great-aunt Jamilia Land to KCBS Radio."This is almost inhumane and cruel punishment. I understand the prison has its policies. I understand they are concerned about safety, but Nate is not a menace to society.”
The Department of Corrections is reviewing the circumstances.
Over the weekend, the state approved a video call from the Salinas Valley State Prison to Navaun's hospital room.
But Land is appealing to Newsom to have compassion.
“I am not going to stop,” she said. “I will not go away, and I will take nothing less than Nathan being able to see his son and say goodbye.”
