A 3-year-old boy from New Mexico reportedly shot his father and pregnant mother inside of a hotel room this weekend. The child reportedly used his mother's gun, but police have placed the blame on two people: his parents.
The child, who has not been identified, was reportedly living at America's Best Value Inn in Albuquerque with his parents and 2-year-old sister. He reached into his mother's purse in order to get her iPod, according to police, and instead pulled out a loaded 9 mm handgun.
The toddler reportedly fired just one shot, but that shot did an incredible amount of damage. First, it struck his father in the right buttock, then exited through his hip and hit his mother in the arm. The woman, who is eight months pregnant, remained in the hospital Saturday night and police say she was seriously injured. The condition of her unborn child is unknown. The father was reportedly treated and released from the hospital.
Here's the interesting part: police are reportedly recommending that the child's parents be charged with felony criminal negligence. I couldn't agree more. There's no excuse for leaving your loaded gun in a place where your child can access it. It's a miracle this little boy didn't hurt himself or his sibling with the weapon.
The children are reportedly in the custody of the state's Children, Youth and Families Department. They won't be interviewed by police until a later date because they are still so young.
Do you think this child's parents should be charged with a crime or was this just an accident?
Image via Asklid Antonsen/Flickr