RN46062023

STORY

The police in Norwalk, a city west of Cleveland, have stated that a 2-year-old boy has been alleged to have shot and killed his pregnant mother.

This happened last week, and investigators are now piecing together how the toddler got his hands on the family’s gun and fired it. The Norwalk Police got a 911 call from a frantic father shortly after the incident occurred.

“She called me in hysterics, I couldn’t get any information from her, other than something about my son and calling 911,” said the husband of the deceased.

The police chief said the young boy had accidentally got hold of the gun and allegedly shot his mom and she was 33 weeks pregnant.

The expecting mom was rushed to the hospital, but police reported that her baby died after an emergency procedure and she also passed away.
Police say the 2-year-old is with his father and the investigation is still ongoing. “Everything in the investigation indicates that this was a tragic mistake. The gun was left out but shouldn’t have been accessible to the child, but apparently, she didn’t know he was in the room at the time.”
As the investigation continues, officers hope no other families ever have to deal with something like this.

“I couldn’t envision it happening the first time.”
Chief Smith said the house was full of safety features with an extensive amount of protections in place like baby gates, but on the day of the shooting, the baby gates that were usually closed were left open.

Source: abc7chicago.com

SENSES (Child Safeguarding and Protection Principle):

This case is quite saddening and tragic to report but it goes along to further buttress the need for us as primary and secondary parents to be very intentional towards the safeguarding and protection of our precious children. Nothing must be left to chance and that might give room for the unthinkable to occur

In the present case, the police chief had reported that safety features were in place in the house but on the said date the baby gate that was usually closed was open and the gun was laying around within the reach of a child.

In April we had reported another case about a 7-year-old who was said to have died after he found a loaded gun and accidentally shot himself. It is sad but these kind of incidents are on the rise today.

As primary and secondary parents, we must decide and build our capacity and sensibility in Securing A Friendly and Protective Environment for our precious children. We must be committed to the care and protection of our precious children.

STONE: (Call to action):

We must keep out of the reach of our precious children any harmful objects and substances. The object could be anything that might be harmful to them and in this case, it was a gun. If the parents had taken extra measures towards keeping the gun away from the child the little boy would not have had access to it.

As primary and secondary parents it is important that we understand that, whatever we do not want children to touch or have access to, we must deliberately and consistently keep out of their reach.