5-Year-Old Shoots, Kills Baby Brother

[Onthemark]

Authorities in Elmo, Missouri say a 9-month-old boy is dead after being accidentally shot in the head by his 5-year-old brother. Police were called to the home just before 9 a.m. on Monday.

The mother, 24-year-old Alexis Wiederholt initially told 911 that her 5-year-old boy shot his baby brother with a paintball gun. However when police and EMS arrived to the house, they discovered that the infant had been shot in the head with a .22-caliber magnum revolver.


“When law enforcement and EMS got there, they determined it was not a paintball gun but a .22-caliber Magnum handgun and that the 9-month-old was struck it the head,†Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White said.


The infant was airlifted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, where he was pronounced dead.


Sheriff White said the victim was inside a playpen in a bedroom where the loaded gun was located on a shelf built into the headboard of a bed.

Investigators have not determined whether charges will be filed against any adult in the case. “At this point foul play is not suspected, and it appears at this time that the shooting was accidental,†said White.


Authorities say the home is owned by Wiederholt’s father and the children’s grandfather.

Police are still investigating the gun’s ownership. They say the weapon belongs to a family member, but not the mother.

The mother’s other three children are with relatives, according to police.

[video=youtube_share;gbQ7o2PakHw]http://youtu.be/gbQ7o2PakHw[/video]

 

[JulianWilliams]

The lack of concern for safety some people have is beyond ridiculous. Seriously, no child should EVER have easy access to firing weapons. Also, why do the parents keep the gun loaded in the first place? I can understand the need for protection but serisouly, at least keep the magazine out of the gun so this doesn't happen.

 

[Muthoni]

This is very sad because the five year old will have to deal with the fact that he killed his baby brother when he grows up. Taking a life is not something that one can dismiss easily. He has a stain that nothing can remove irrespective of the fact that it was an accident. I wish that it was possible to abolish possession of guns for citizens; they are doing more harm than good.

 

[Onionman]

That's sad. I'm not sure why the father said it was a paintball gun unless it was an illegally held gun. Gun ownership is the right and all that of the American public. But too many deaths are needlessly being lost by the use of guns. I just can't see how the proliferation of guns is still being seen as a good thing.

 

[Onionman]

That's sad. I'm not sure why the father said it was a paintball gun unless it was an illegally held gun. Gun ownership is the right and all that of the American public. But too many deaths are needlessly being lost by the use of guns. I just can't see how the proliferation of guns is still being seen as a good thing.

 

[Onionman]

That's sad. I'm not sure why the father said it was a paintball gun unless it was an illegally held gun. Gun ownership is the right and all that of the American public. But too many deaths are needlessly being lost by the use of guns. I just can't see how the proliferation of guns is still being seen as a good thing.

 

[dez97]

The simply and most common sense lesson that should be learned out of this tragic incident is....Parents if your going to have a gun in your home, at least make sure that the weapon is put away in a safe or something with a lock, to where the child cannot get a handle on it, to hurt someone else, and maybe even themselves.

 

[jeremy2]

I think we honestly need to review gun control regulations to avoid such incidents.This accidents are becoming too many and happening on high frequency.Something needs to be done fast.

 

[Kamarsun1]

The lack of concern for safety some people have is beyond ridiculous. Seriously, no child should EVER have easy access to firing weapons. Also, why do the parents keep the gun loaded in the first place? I can understand the need for protection but serisouly, at least keep the magazine out of the gun so this doesn't happen.

I agree, how irresponsible can a parent be. I don't own any firearms at the moment and my children is one reason, but if I do I would have to lock my pistol away, out of sight and unloaded, I don't have enough enemies to keep a gun loaded. It doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[donnalynn47]

wow! I really feel bad for the boy. He is going to have to live with the fact that he killed his brother. Even if was an accident it will still impact his life. The parents should be held responsible for this. They knew having small kids, and guns aren't a good mix. At least the gun could have been put a way so kids couldn't get to it.

 

[Gabe]

People seem to think they can hide guns and children won't find them. They do and somehow the child somehow played with it and shot his brother by accident. When children visit a house, most people move all things like bleach and cover sockets in the house, so why don't they move guns and lock them away securely if they must have them. It is negligent for them to have left the gun somewhere a child could find it, but the damage is done and a member of the family has been killed and they must live with that now.

 

[dolittle94]

In my opinion, I see nothing wrong with someone having a loaded gun in their house. However, the gun she always we be stored in a reasonably secured spot and everyone in the house that is capable of holding a gun should get gun training right away. That may sound crazy to some, but my weapons training officer has several guns in his house and he started getting his kids trained, schooled, and used to guns when they were about four or five. They know a gun is not a toy to be played with and are to only be used in defense situations. He even has them go through emergency drills at home-kind of like a fire drill- incase of someone breaking in or worse. The problem isn't even the gun, it's the lack of education of the gun. If this kid was properly educated about the matter this most likely could have been avoided, but since they did not the gun shouldn't have been just lying around in the open. I feel sorry for the fact that this kid has to live with the fact and reality that he killed his little brother because of his parents lack of actions.

 

[tanker]

Paintball guns can be just as dangerous for small children as real guns. Paintballs hit with a lot of force and they leave big black bruises if they hit exposed flesh. A small child getting hit by a paint ball could get seriously injured. Don't let kids play with dangerous things.

 

[mairj23]

Another sad story that seems to be getting too random these days. Ignorant parents leaving loaded guns in places children frequent, causes so much death and destruction. Yes, the parents of the child should be charged with child neglect in this case or even manslaughter. Another child dead and gone over nothing disgusts me.

 

[katherine25]

Its stories like this that makes me so angry. I think the gun laws in the U.S seriously need to be reviewed. It seems as if anyone can have a gun license and there has been way to many stories of children "accidentally" getting shot. In my opion the only poeple who should be carrying guns is law enforcement, besides them why should anyone carry such a lethal weapon?

 

[Josie]

There seems to be more irresponsible gun owners than not.. so tired of hearing this story over and over and over and over yet still people rant on about their rights. You being given this right has cost so many people their lives. Bad guys will get their guns regardless... but there are too many people dying due to stupidity.