Fort Worth

‘He's a miracle': Grandparents share remarkable recovery of 10-year-old shot six times

NBCDFW.com

The 10-year-old boy shot six times in Denton is making a remarkable recovery at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, according to his grandparents.

Cody John Olson underwent surgery Wednesday morning to repair a skull fracture.

The 10-year-old Ellis County boy survived a Fourth of July shooting outside his great-grandmother's home in Denton, according to family.

The alleged shooter is his mother's ex-boyfriend, Travis Rollins.

Rollins remains in jail on a $1.2 million bond, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in this shooting and an unrelated family violence case out of Ellis County.

Olson's grandparents Michael and Vickie Cross shared new photographs with NBC 5 showing Cody John's recovery.

He can now open one eye, move his arm and much more.

"He's able to shake his head 'yes' or 'no,'" said Vickie. "He can give a thumbs up or down. The nurses said he helped move himself onto his side."

The boy has also managed to eat some solid foods.

"We took a teddy bear from his great-grandma and put it up to his cheek and rubbed it on him and I was going to lay it down next to him," said Vickie. "He reached up and grabbed it and hugged it to his body."

The couple calls him 'a miracle.'

Newly released court documents are providing details about the shooting at a mobile home community along the 3900 block of Teasley Lane in Denton.

Police found 'multiple spent shell casings on the streets in front of the residence as well as the front yard'… and 'multiple bullet impacts were located on the exterior of neighboring residences.'

The gunman left in a vehicle 'described as a white Ford pickup with no tailgate.'

Duncanville police spotted Rollins shortly after the shooting and conducted a traffic stop on an unrelated warrant.

'Rollins was found to have a firearm in his possession at the time of arrest….in a white Ford pickup with no tailgate, as described by witnesses on scene,' according to an affidavit. 'Spent shell casings were seen in the bed of the truck.'

Rollins, the affidavit states, was also wearing the same clothes as the gunman captured on security footage.

Online court documents show a history of aggravated assault allegations leveled against Rollins.

He was sentenced to court supervision in 2004 after pinning and dragging a man underneath his truck during a fight.

Rollins was sentenced to 150 days in jail in 2008 for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend and threatening to kill her with a knife.

Cody John's grandparents urge prosecutors in this shooting to ensure he spends the rest of his life in prison.

"He drove 60 miles," said Vickie. "He was in camouflage and had on a protective vest."

They are, however, focusing on their grandson's recovery.

Cody John is expected to be in the hospital for a year, according to his grandparents.

It's not yet clear what kind of damage he sustained to his left eye or his brain and nervous system.

They do not believe he will be faced with paralysis, but Cody John has not been able to speak.

He has shed tears, according to his grandparents.

"I've reassured him, 'Gigi knows you're in there and we know you understand this and we're going to protect you and you're going to get better,'" Vickie said.

"And by the Grace of God, he's still here."

How anyone can doubt a higher power is beyond them.

"Like Michael said, if this doesn't move you to believe in God and miracles, I don't know what will," she said.

"He's by far just the most precious and innocent little boy you've ever seen, and he deserves a good chance at life," said Michael.

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