11/16/2022
Indiana -Man Kept Gun In Dollhouse Inside Home Where 4-Year-Old Fatally Shot Himself
A Muncie man and woman are charged with two felony counts of neglect after the woman’s 4-year-old son shot himself with the man’s gun Monday afternoon.
The child found the gun in a dollhouse, where it was typically kept, according to court documents obtained by News 8.
Joseph Jackson, 19, and Alycia Smith, 22, are charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and neglect of a dependent.
Just after noon Monday, police were sent to a home in the 1500 block of South Burlington Drive on Muncie’s east side on reports of a shooting.
Upon arrival, officers found a 4-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased there.
Investigators with the Muncie Police Department began investigating the incident and spoke to Jackson. Jackson told investigators he was dating Smith, who had two children, a 2-year-old and 4-year-old.
Jackson said he had been living with Smith and her children for a month.
He told investigators he owned a 9 mm Glock 19 and had left it sitting on a dollhouse in the room the four share.
According to court documents, he owns a retention holster for the firearm but always places the gun inside the dollhouse without it being secured in the holster.
Jackson was on the first floor of the home Monday when he heard a “pop noise” coming from upstairs.
He ran upstairs to find the 4-year-old bleeding from his face.
Both Smith and Jackson were arrested and are at the Delaware County Jail.
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