In a disastrous story, a 19-year-old woman accidentally shot the 10-year-old boy she was babysitting. According to the local police department, the boy, who is the teen’s nephew, was in serious condition but is expected to make a full recovery.
The incident occurred after Caitlyn Smith, who was watching the boy at the time of the accident, found the gun in the house, according to CNN. She told police that she didn’t believe the gun was loaded and began taking selfies while holding the weapon.
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However, the gun was loaded and it went off while she was taking pictures with it. The stray bullet hit Smith’s nephew in the stomach.
“The 10-yr-old child is listed in serious condition but is expected to make a full recovery,” Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted after the incident. “The child’s aunt, Caitlyn Smith (w/f 19 yr), has been arrested & charged with injury to a Child-serious bodily injury (2nd-degree felony).”
Over a 10-year period, nearly 7,000 people died in the U.S. after firearms were accidentally discharged, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that guns, and particularly loaded weapons, not be present in homes with minors present.
“The perception is that a loaded handgun will keep a family safe. There is no evidence that it will keep them safe,” pediatrician Dr. Eric J. Sigel wrote on the AAP website. “There is evidence that it increases the chances of unintentional injury, homicide, and suicide.”
The AAP also recommends that parents check if a family has a gun in the home before sending their child on a playdate. “Firearms are dangerous weapons so take precautions to make sure things like that don’t happen,” Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland told CNN. “Taking selfies was not the best thing to be doing.”
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The incident, which took place on February 25, resulted in the 19-year-old being charged with a second-degree felony. It is unclear if Smith will plead guilty to the injury to a Child-serious bodily injury charge against her.
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