A Florida 3-year-old found a gun hidden inside a couch and shot his 2-year-old sister, leaving her in critical condition, police said.
The shooting happened at a home in West Lakeland where three men had met to watch a basketball game late Friday night.
Shortly before midnight, the men “heard a pop” and looked round to see the 2-year-old girl had been shot as the 3-year-old boy ran crying from the room, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference Saturday.
The men “raced toward the hospital” with the girl but crashed their car on the way.
Cops called to a two-vehicle accident found one of the cars was en route to the hospital with the gunshot victim.
A Good Samaritan stopped and took the child and one of the men to Lakeland Regional Health, police said.
The 2-year-old girl was shot once in the chest, sustaining severe injuries to her internal organs.
She was said to be in “exceptionally critical” but stable condition, authorities said.
The mother of the little girl, who was not present at the time of the shooting, told investigators the two children should have been at her home.
Two witnesses — Kevonte’ Wilson and Rodderick Haynes, both 23 – told police they were busy watching an NBA playoff game when the 3-year-old boy came across the gun.
The gun belonged to Wilson, who had “hidden” it in the couch, police said.
He was arrested and charged with failure to safely store a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The home’s owner, 24-year-old Chad Berrien, has four outstanding warrants to appear in court, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
Berrien now faces additional charges for marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a house for drug use.
“It can’t be stressed enough, if you have firearms in your home, keep them away from children,” Sheriff Judd said.
“A beautiful little girl is fighting for her life right now because another child who didn’t know any better was able to get his hands on a loaded gun,” he added.