Photo: McLaurin Funeral Home & Pinecrest Memorial Park
A North Carolina toddler found a gun in his dad’s truck and shot himself, and now the father faces criminal charges.
Detectives believe the 2-year-old climbed into his dad’s pickup truck through an open door and found a loaded handgun in the cab. He began to play with the gun and accidentally shot himself, authorities say.
According toABC 11, the boy’s father, Warren Tyler Oser, is charged with failure to properly and safely store his firearms to protect minors.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office tells the station that the boy’s death was considered an “unfortunate accident.”
The boy’s sudden death has left his family in shock.
“We’re having to raise money for a funeral we never expected, for a 2-year-old,” a family member toldWRAL News. Community members have raised more than $20,000on a GoFundMe pageto cover the boy’s funeral expenses.
In anonline obituary, family members remembered the sunny toddler.
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“Bennett was a free spirit with a wild soul who always kept us on our toes,” his parents wrote. “He loved to run naked, play with dinosaurs, work with Daddy, snuggle with Mama and play outside.
“Bennett was a happy child who loved everyone in his life deeply,” the obituary continued. “Every single day, he would go down his list of favorite people to try and visit. Though his life was brief, his spirit and memory lives on in his family and friends. We are grateful and blessed that God chose us to be his parents and let us watch over him for even the short amount of time that he had on earth.”
For more information on safe firearm storage and the most effective ways to protect children from unsecured firearms, visitBeSMARTforkids.org.
source: people.com
