Parents Of 6-Year-Old Gunned Down By Younger Friend Reach A Settlement For Punitive Damages

TOMS RIVER — Brandon Holt would be nine by now, if he had lived.

But the six-year-old boy died when a four-year-old neighbor grabbed a loaded .22 rifle from under his parents,' ran out into his backyard and shot Brandon in the head with a .22 caliber rifle. The boys had been playing "pretend shooting" when the April 8, 2013 occurred.

The settlement terms for punitive damages - reached before another court date was set - will remain confidential, said Kevin Parsons, the Holt's attorney, according to nj.com.

Earlier this spring, Superior Court Judge Robert Brenner found Anthony and Melissa Senator liable for Brandon's death by leaving the loaded rifle under their bed.

The judge ordered Anthony Senatore to pay the Holts $572,000 for the services and companionship Brandon would have provided his parents in the future, for his pain and suffering before his death and for the family's unpaid medical and funeral expenses.

Brenner left the punitive damages to be determined at a later time.

Parsons would not say whether the punitive damages settlement was monetary or if included Melissa Senatore, who has not responded to the lawsuit but has been held liable despite her absence, the report says.

Anthony Senatore pleaded guilty to child endangerment in October 2014. He was sentenced to three years in prison and served nine months of his term before he was released on parole.

Image: Patch file photo