The father of a 2-year-old boy in Pennsylvania was placed under arrest after the boy shot himself with a pistol that was lying next to him while the father was “busy on the phone.” Luis Marin, 34, was taken into custody on suspicion of criminally endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person after it was claimed that he had left a loaded gun unsecured.
Marin turned himself in to the authorities on Wednesday. The event happened on May 15, 2024, when Marin was allegedly “playing on the phone,” according to a report from Mirror US.
It was found throughout the inquiry that the guy had gone to his second-floor bedroom before to the shooting in order to get a crossbody bag for his nephew. Usually, the bag with his two pistols and earplugs was placed on the bed.
The child used the gun to shoot himself when no one older was watching. His father instantly grabbed him after that and hurried outdoors, pressing on the wound. His mother also returned home in the meanwhile, and the two of them brought the infant to Pottstown Hospital. He was sent to Lehigh Valley Hospital from Pottstown.
The police were notified by the hospital personnel and showed up at the location prior to 5:00 p.m. Employees told the police that the child had fractured his scapula and damaged ribs from shooting himself. He had many wounds, including burns and injury to his left side, which was stippled, suggesting that the pistol had come into close contact with his flesh.
In a statement, district attorney Kevin Steele stated, “The baby has survived the gunshot despite the heartbreaking injuries.” He said, “This shooting is a frightening reminder to parents that children, even very young children, can and do find unsecured firearms in a home, and their inclination is to play with them.”
On October 8, a preliminary hearing has been set. Marin would be sentenced to five years in jail and a fine of $10,000 if proven guilty. Judge Jody L. Griffis of the Magisterial District Court now has $50,000 set as his unsecured bond and has ordered that no guns be kept in Marin’s residence.
