Dad charged after 2-year-old daughter finds gun, shoots herself, Mississippi police say
A 2-year-old girl is recovering and her father faces criminal charges after she found his gun and accidentally shot herself, Mississippi authorities say.
Police responded to reports of a child shot at home in Senatobia, just outside Memphis, Tennessee, at 9 a.m. Monday, Assistant Chief of Police Matt Defore said, according to multiple outlets.
It was initially reported that an infant was shot, but investigators soon learned the victim was a 2 1/2-year-old girl, WMC 5 reported. It’s unclear how she got a hold of the weapon.
Defore said early investigation shows the shooting was the result of an “accidental discharge,” according to Magnolia State Live. The toddler was taken to a hospital in stable condition, and no other injuries were reported, authorities said.
Her father, 21-year-old Mardarikkious Walls, has been charged with one count of contributing to the neglect of a child, ABC24 News reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes firearm injuries as a “serious public health problem,” highlighting that two out of every 10 medically treated firearm injuries are accidental. In October, a family birthday party turned tragic when a 3-year-old shot and killed himself with a pistol that had fallen from a relative’s pocket, McClatchy News reported.
Experts recommend storing guns away unloaded, locking ammunition in a separate place and discouraging children from touching firearms if they find them at home or a friend’s house.
McClatchy News on Wednesday reached out to the Senatobia Police Department for an update on the toddler’s condition and is awaiting response.
This story was originally published November 4, 2020 at 1:58 PM.