The firearm was freely accessible to the two-year-old. His five-year-old brother witnessed the crime.
A two-year-old boy shot his father with an unsecured gun at the family’s home in the United States. The accident happened before the eyes of his five-year-old brother, who later became investigators’ main witness, according to the Orange County Police Department, in the state of Florida, on Monday.
According to Sheriff John Mina, officials who called emergency services at the Orlando crime scene initially assumed the 26-year-old father had committed suicide. However, a gunshot wound to the man’s back was found in the hospital, which did not support this thesis. Investigations at the crime scene also confirmed the five-year-old’s description of his younger brother pulling the gun. In addition to the two boys and a five-month-old baby, the children’s mother was also at home at the time. When the police arrived, she was trying to revive her husband.
“The firearm was not properly locked,” Mina told a news conference. “In fact, she was easily accessible, even for a two-year-old, and the result is a tragedy that no one in our community can imagine.”
“Actually, lost both parents”
The incident took place on May 26, but due to the difficult investigation, the police have only now informed the public. Thus, both parents were subject to probation for child neglect and drug offenses. The mother was arrested and now has to answer for manslaughter, illegal possession of a weapon and violation of the terms of parole, among others.
“Now these kids have effectively lost both parents,” Mina said. “Your father is dead, your mother is in prison. And a small child should grow up knowing that he shot his father. These tragedies are 100% preventable.”
(APA/dpa)