Dad charged after 3-year-old finds gun and shoots herself, Louisiana police say
.jpg "New Orleans police have arrested the father of a 3-year-old girl who found a gun and accidentally shot herself. The child is expected to be OK.")
A father is facing multiple charges after his 3-year-old daughter accidentally shot herself last month.
New Orleans police arrested Barry Frelix, 41, on Tuesday and booked him on charges of second-degree child cruelty, obstruction of justice and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to a news release.
The shooting occurred the night of Feb. 25, and Frelix initially told officers his daughter was struck by gunfire as they took a walk in the neighborhood, Nola.com reported. Authorities soon determined his account of the incident “was not factual” and secured a warrant for his arrest.
“The victim is believed to have located a firearm in the home and to have discharged the weapon,” police said.
The toddler was grazed by the bullet and suffered a gunshot wound to her hand, but she is expected to be OK, according to authorities.
A report cited by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Violence Prevention found that 1.7 million children live in homes with guns that are “improperly stored, loaded or unlocked,” greatly increasing the risk of accidental shootings.
“Eighty-nine percent of unintentional firearm deaths occur at home, and [children] with a gun in the home are three times more likely to die from firearm-related accidents,” according to the report.
Frelix remained behind bars at the Orleans Parish Jail on Wednesday, records show.
The incident remains under investigation.