3-year-old boy shoots younger sister after finding gun in sofa; toddler critical

A 2-year-old girl is battling for her life after her 3-year-old brother shot her with a handgun that he found inside a couch at home in Florida, according to a Florida sheriff’s office. 

The event occurred in a West Lakeland residence where three men had gathered to watch an NBA playoff game on Friday night, Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference on Saturday.

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Judd describing about the incident said, “at midnight the men heard a pop and they immediately looked to see that the 2-year-old female had been shot, and was on the couch, and the 3-year-old scrambled from the living room, running and crying to his bedroom.”

As the men took the girl and rushed towards the hospital, they met with a car crash following which a good samaritan took the child towards the hospital, Judd said. 

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The Polk County sheriff emphasised that if people have firearms at home, they should keep them away from children. He added, “A beautiful little girl is fighting for her life right now because another child who didn’t know any better was able to get his hands on a loaded gun.” 

“No one in that house, that night, intended for those babies to have that event that occurred. Obviously the 3-year-old’s not going to be charged with a criminal event, for obvious reasons. That child can’t be held accountable for his conduct — there is absolutely no reason to think that that was an intentional act other than he was a baby playing with what he saw was some sort of toy. But, we will hold the adults appropriately criminally liable for the conduct,” Judd said. 

The girl was shot in the chest and a surgery has already been conducted with more surgeries following. 

Two witnesses, gun owner Kevonte Wilson and Rodderick Haynes told investigators they were watching an NBA game when the 3-year-old boy found the gun, Wilson had “hidden” the gun in the couch, cops said. 

Wilson is facing charges for carrying a concealed firearm and failure to store a firearm.