A 3-year-old girl was hospitalized after she shot herself in the hand over the weekend while playing with a loaded gun that was left unattended by a relative, Miami-Dade Police said.
Surveillance video from inside the home shows the toddler running and playing around before she can be seen picking up the gun from the couch. She then accidentally shoots herself, and family members can be seen panicking and screaming.
Police arrested 23-year-old Orlando Young on charges of child neglect with great bodily harm, according to court documents.
Young told police he was staying at the home at 11225 Southwest 220th Terrace with the little girl at the time of the incident.
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Young said that he prepared the child's breakfast, was hanging out with her during the day and while he was watching a football game, he momentarily left his gun unattended on the couch because he was excited about a touchdown, the arrest report said.
He then reported hearing a loud bang and saw the girl had blood coming from her right hand.
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The toddler was taken to Homestead Hospital. The child's grandmother shared updates and pictures in a Facebook post of the young girl recovering. She was out of the hospital and home with her mother as of Tuesday.
Young was arrested and taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without incident.
He is facing one count of child neglect with great bodily harm.
The Department of Children and Families was notified and when asked about the incident, DCG said “The Department conducts investigations concerning all allegations of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Information regarding investigations is confidential per section 39.202, Florida Statutes."
