ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI) – The St. Louis County prosecutor has filed charges against a father after authorities say a 4-year-old shot his 3-year-old brother in the arm.
Larry Madison is charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child as well a marijuana possession. Authorities say Madison was smoking pot when the shooting happened.
Madison is accused of leaving a loaded gun in a closet that was easily accessible to the children.
Police say the brothers found the 12-gauge shot gun and were playing with the weapon when it fired one time. Police received the call for help just after Noon on Easter Sunday.
Police say the children’s mother and father were home at the time of the shooting. The father was taken into custody.
Police say the mother was taking a nap. She is also the mother of a 3-month old baby. One investigator said the injury to the child appeared to be a minor wound to one his arms.
One neighbor said he knew the family and was just praying everything would be okay.
“Just a sad situation,” said that neighbor. “Good family, just a sad situation and hopefully everything works out for him. “
Bonnie Caroll lives a block away. She shook her head over the news a child was injured while playing with a shotgun.
“I hear about these cases all the time,” said Caroll. “Parents need to keep an eye on their kids and put their guns up.”
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