Man pleads guilty for role in fatal shooting of 2-year-old

<p>A man has pleaded guilty to hindering the arrests of suspects who were wanted in a shooting in which a 2-year-old boy was killed over an income tax refund check.</p><p>Freddie Lamar Floyd, 39, pleaded guilty Wednesday to hindering the apprehension of a criminal.</p><p>Floyd, who was initially charged with a number of other charges including murder, burglary and aggravated assault, was sentenced to two years in prison. But he was given credit for one year and five months already served.</p><p>Xavier Miranda was fatally shot Feb. 10, 2005, when an intruder burst into his family's apartment and demanded a $1,717 income tax refund check. Clayton County police say the alleged shooter was carrying out a plot masterminded by the woman who prepared the Miranda family's taxes.</p><p>Authorities said Floyd's live-in girlfriend is the mother of Kearndric David Smith, 21. Police say Smith drove accused shooter Torrin Demon Reese to the Forest Park apartment where William Miranda and Chimere Rita Calloway lived with their children.</p><p>Reese told police he earlier met at a restaurant with Shakeila Danuaralle Hampton, 34, and Michael Anthony Hendrix, 33, to plan the robbery of the couple's check. Hampton had helped Calloway prepare her taxes so she knew the amount of her refund and when she would get it, police said.</p><p>During the robbery attempt, police said Reese grabbed Xavier and pointed a gun to his neck, threatening to shoot unless he got the check. But William Miranda was also armed and fired shots at Reese, police said. Reese said he fired back but did not mean to hit the toddler. Reese left without the check.</p><p>Prosecutors said Floyd was not involved with the planning and was not present during the shooting. But he admitted to telling Smith and Reese to "lay low" when they went to him after the shooting.</p><p>The trial of the four others accused in the shooting has been scheduled for Oct. 23.</p>