A community in Volusia County, Florida are grieving after a toddler tragically lost his life, after finding his father’s handgun, Ledger-Enquirer reported.
On Wednesday, February 15th, a 3-year-old boy and his 7-year-old brother were left in the care of their 16-year-old sister as their parents went to a nearby grocery store. At 6:20 P.M., dispatchers received a phone call from the teenaged girl, who told them, “My brother shot himself and he’s not breathing.” Less than ten minutes later, a deputy from the Volusia County arrived and attempted life-saving measures as they waited for an ambulance arrived. At 7:03 P.M., after being transported to a hospital, the boy was pronounced dead.
Officials say that the 3-year-old had wandered into his parents bedroom, had gotten into a nightstand, picked up the gun, turned it towards himself, and “shot himself point-blank range.” The boy’s father, who is an employee of the Florida Department of Corrections, told investigators that the firearm is usually kept in a bedroom safe, but was moved when the electronic lock had malfunctioned.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has stated that no charges have been filed for the incident. “I cannot imagine there’s anything in the law books that can punish that family more than what happened,” he explained in a media briefing the following day.