WESTLAND (WWJ) — Parents from Westland have been charged with violating Michigan’s safe storage law after their five-year-old son shot himself to death.
Timothy Gravel and Heather LeBlanc were arraigned Monday on one count each of Firearms – Safe Storage Violations – Premises Under Individual’s Control – Minor Present and Inflected Death Upon Self or Another.
The shooting happened around 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7 at the family’s home on Alamo Court, near Venoy Road and Michigan Avenue, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
The young boy allegedly got ahold of a gun that was left unsecured inside their home and fired it, hitting himself in the abdomen.
The boy was rushed to the hospital, where he died of his injuries.
While the prosecutor’s office did not say where the gun he shot himself with had been kept at the time he found it, Prosecutor Kym Worthy said there were multiple guns inside the home that weren’t stored properly.
“The death of this child was completely and totally preventable. This is the seventh one this year,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
Bond was set at $50,000 for the 32-year-old Gravel, and $25,000 for the 29-year-old LeBlanc.
Their next court date has been scheduled for Nov. 21.
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