BALTIMORE — "It's just the start but it's a big step," said one person.
That's how the family of 15-year-old Nykayla Strawder describes charges in her death.
Prosecutors charged 54-year-old April Gaskins after her 9-year-old grandson shot the teen in the head with her gun.
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Strawder was described by her family as a free spirit, just coming into her own.
She would be turning 16 in March had she not been shot in the head last August.
The boy was allegedly playing with a loaded handgun before he shot her and now his grandmother, Gaskins will be held accountable.
Police say the armed security guard left her gun unattended.
SEE MORE: 9-year-old accidentally shoots, kills 15-year-old girl in SW Baltimore
Gaskin now faces reckless endangerment and two counts of failure to secure a firearm with an unsupervised minor.
"A lot of 'Thank you God' finally we're moving towards justice," described the teen's big cousin, Reynard Parks.
It's been a patient yet persistent journey to justice for family.
"We were very clear about whose gun it was, and we felt that the guardian should be held accountable," Parks told WMAR-2 News.
Strawder's family says getting justice for her doesn't stop with getting charges, but continues with getting legislation passed.
Maryland State Senator Jill Carter filed a bill in Strawder's honor.
Senate bill 15 will require officers to file a 'Child in Need of Supervision' petition for children under 10 after an act that results in the death of a victim whether the incident is an accident or intentional.
The senator will introduce a second bill next week that stiffens penalties for adults who leave firearms unsecured resulting in injuries or death.
Strawder's family plans to stand in the gap for other families enduring a tragedy similar to theirs.
"We're going to be a beacon of light for not just Nykayla but for all families that even if the communication isn't perfect, you should continue on that fight," Parks said.
The family plans to appear in Annapolis before the General Assembly to advocate for bills in Strawder's honor on February 8.
