(WWJ) A Detroit mother and father have been charged in connection with the non-fatal shooting of their little son.
Tenisha Christian, 39, and Anthony Smith, 32, of Detroit have been charged with using inadequate storage cases for the gun police believe their three-year-old son shot himself with, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s said.
Prosecutors tell WWJ Detroit Police were dispatched to a home on Omira in the area of 7 Mile and I-75 in the afternoon of March 9th—on reports that a child had been shot. Officers found the little boy with a gunshot wound in his left arm.
Medics rushed him to the hospital.
Investigators believe the child picked up an unsecured handgun in the home and shot himself.
County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said these types of cases happen way too often and are unacceptable.
“This case came to our office on the same day as another child shooting case, as a result of unsafe storage of a weapon,” said Prosecutor Worthy. “Way too many innocent, very young children have easy access to these deadly weapons and this situation usually ends up with a seriously injured or fatally wounded child. I do not understand why the adults cannot safely store their firearms.”
The child survived.
The father has been charged with one count of Child Abuse Second Degree, one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and two counts of Felony Firearm. The mother was charged with one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and two counts of Felony Firearm.
They are expected to be arraigned Saturday (today).