A South Florida mother is grateful things didn't get much worse after her 3-year-old daughter accidentally shot herself in the hand earlier this week.
Serenity Deleveaux is now home safe and sound after the incident Sunday. Her mother, Warneicia Williams, said the toddler was at her grandmother's house in southwest Miami-Dade when she picked up a gun that was left out on the couch by her cousin.
Home surveillance video shows the 3-year-old accidentally shooting herself and family members rushing to help her.
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Deleveaux had to be hospitalized and now has a bandage around her hand.
"The good side of it could be that her finger heals and she gets therapy and it goes back to normal," Williams said. "The worst-case scenario is that her finger dies and turns black and she loses her finger."
Police arrested 23-year-old Orlando Young on charges of child neglect with great bodily harm. Young got distracted while watching a football game and left his gun unattended, authorities said.
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Williams said the shooting was careless and should have never happened.
"I wake up thinking about it. I haven’t eaten in like three days, for real. It’s traumatizing to me, too," she said. "I don’t think his family understands, you know? I’m just grateful. I’m overall just grateful. And she’s OK."
Williams said right now her focus is on her daughter’s health. A GoFundMe was set up to help in her recovery.
