Zion Staples was a 10-year-old boy from Rock Island, Illinois, who died on approximately December 21, 2022, from a gunshot wound to the head, the Rock Island County Coroner’s Office determined. On that day Zion and his siblings were left unsupervised while their mother was at work. A handgun had been stored high in a closet inside a locked room; one sibling who had a key entered the room, left the door unlocked, and Zion later gained access. The children later said Zion was playing with the gun when it discharged.

Zion’s body was concealed by his mother, Sushi Staples. She initially hid him in the basement, attempted to mask decomposition odors with dryer sheets, later moved the body into a metal garbage can in the garage, and continued collecting government benefits issued for him. A welfare check on July 26, 2023, following a tip, led police to discover Zion’s decomposing body; he was wearing only a pair of Spiderman pajama pants. When first questioned, Sushi Staples denied having a son named Zion and said his birth certificate was fraudulent.

Investigators noted the long delay made it difficult to determine who fired the weapon. Zion and his siblings had not been enrolled in school. Does anyone have information about Zion’s last days or the household that could help clarify what happened?