Virginia parents charged after toddler finds gun, shoots himself

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A Virginia mother and father are facing charges after their toddler son shot himself with an unattended gun, authorities said.

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According to The Associated Press and WVEC-TV, the incident occurred about 9 p.m. June 1 on 23rd Street in Newport News. Newport News police arrived to find a 2-year-old boy with a gunshot wound and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Investigators believe that the toddler grabbed an unattended gun, which discharged, according to the news outlets.

Police arrested the toddler’s parents, Jamarea Looney, 21, and Dralon Richard, 25, on charges of reckless handling of a firearm and child abuse/neglect, the AP reported.

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– The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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