The child’s mother was arrested for manslaughter by culpable negligence.
Investigations are underway after a two-year-old child accidentally shot and killed his father in their home in Florida.
Reggie Mabry, aged 26, died after he was shot in the back by his son on Thursday, 26 May.
Three children were in the home at the time of the shooting, but none were injured.
Deputies responded to a 911 call in reference to a shooting in the Tobie Court area of east Orlando around noon, where they found Mabry’s wife, Marie Ayala, performing CPR on Mabry before first responders arrived.
Mabry was brought to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Deputies initially believed that the death was through an apparent suicide, but Mabry’s eldest child, a five-year-old boy, told authorities at the scene that the gunshot wound was as a result of his two-year-old brother getting access to the firearm.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina provided an update to the investigation on Monday (6 June).
“Through the investigation, detectives were able to determine that although both Mabry and Ayala were convicted felons, they had left an illegal firearm in the room they shared with their young children,” Mina said.
“It’s important to note that both Mabry and Ayala were on probation for child neglect and narcotics charges.
“The gun was not properly stored; in fact, it was easily accessible, even to a two-year-old, and the result is a tragedy again in this community that no one can really comprehend.”
Ayala was arrested and charged for several crimes, including manslaughter by culpable negligence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and a violation of probation.
Mina called on gun-owners to properly store their weapons, to ensure that a tragedy like this doesn’t happen again.
“These young children have effectively lost both of their parents,” Mina mused.
“Their father is dead, their mother is in jail, and a young child has to live their life knowing that he shot his father.
“These tragedies are 100% preventable.”
Sheriff John Mina provides details on the case of a two-year-old who got a hold of his parents’ gun. The boy shot and killed his father on May 26. pic.twitter.com/stgC6yNFj5
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) June 6, 2022
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