Every year, nearly 3000 children and teens die from gunfire, and nearly 14,000 are injured.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

4-year old Missouri girl dies at home when another small child finds loaded handgun

Four children between the ages of 4 and 6 were playing in a home in Kansas City, Missouri, when the father left home, leaving his loaded, unsecured handgun within easy reach of the kids.  One of the children found the gun and discharged it, hitting a 4-year old girl.  The girl is now in critical condition.

From an article and news video:

A father left his house and forgot his loaded gun in the living room, according to police. His wife didn't know the gun was out and within easy reach for small children. 
Police said it appears another child in the house was playing with the loaded gun when it went off and now don't believe the little girl accidentally shot herself in the head. 
"We saw police show up and a crime scene, so we assumed something bad happened," nearby neighbor Dan Peters said. 
Peters was at home taking a shower when his dad told him about the emergency that was happening just two doors down near 105th Terrace and Monroe Avenue in south Kansas City. 
Medical personnel were called to the area about 11:52 a.m. Thursday after a woman ran to a neighbor's house and asked the neighbor to call 911. 
"He (my dad) came out and he saw the ambulance come and saw it was a small body on the stretcher, so he assumed it was a kid," Peters said. 
Officials said a 4-year-old girl was playing in a room of the home with three other children who are all between the ages of 4 and 6. There was a loaded gun left on a chair in the room. 
The girl's stepmother left the room and told police she came running back in when she heard the gun go off. 
The girl was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital with critical injuries. 
"It sounds like the gun was in the room with all the children, and we can't tell what exactly happened because the adult was out of the room," Sgt. Marisa Barnes with the Kansas City Police Department said. 
Police said they will continue to investigate and forward the case onto the prosecutor's office, who will determine if charges will be filed.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

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