Curt Andersen, a homeowner in Whitestown, Indiana, has been charged with voluntary manslaughter for shooting at a cleaning crew who had mistakenly arrived at his house, killing Maria Florinda Rios Perez, a mother of four.

The incident occurred on 5 November, when Andersen fired through his door instead of calling the police, and Perez was found dead on the front porch in her husband’s arms.

Prosecutors delayed charges while examining Indiana’s “stand your ground” law but concluded that Andersen’s actions did not qualify for legal protection.

The case highlights ongoing national debates over stand-your-ground laws and incidents of homeowners using deadly force against innocents, including similar cases in Missouri and New York, the BBC has reported.

Authorities said Andersen “did not have the proper information” to justify his actions as reasonable under the law.