Shocking in-home video shows girl, 3, shooting herself with gun as babysitter watches football game
Orlando Young, 23, was arrested on charges of child neglect and great bodily harm
A man has been arrested in Florida after a three-year-old child he was supposed to be taking care of shot herself with his unattended gun while he allegedly watched an NFL football game.
The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) confirmed to The Independent that 23-year-old Orlando Young was distracted by watching the Miami Dolphins team when the incident occurred on Sunday.
Home surveillance footage shared online by the girl’s grandmother showed Young watching the game on his laptop, while the girl reached for the gun which had been left loaded on the sofa.
A gunshot can be heard, to which Young says “What the f*** just happened,” and the child begins to cry. More family members rushed into the room and Young returned later to retrieve the weapon.
The MDPD said the child had accidentally shot herself in the hand and was transported to a hospital – but was released on Tuesday and is now “fine”.
Young was arrested on charges of child neglect and great bodily harm.
He appeared in court on Monday where he was given an additional charge while he was in jail for allegedly hitting another inmate.
The child’s mother, Warneicia Williams, said that she was “traumatised” by the incident but “overall just grateful” that the incident had not been worse.
“The good side of it could be that her finger heals and she gets therapy and she goes back to normal, the worst case scenario is that her finger dies and turns black and she loses her finger,” she told NBC 6 South Florida.
“I wake up thinking about it. I haven’t eaten in like three days so it’s traumatising for me too, and I don’t think his family understands…
“I’m overall just grateful. And [the little girl] is ok.”
Ms Williams has also set up a GoFundMe page to help with funds for the medical bills.
“I’m so blessed to be able to see that my daughter is still living today, because the gun was pointed at her chest. God allowed her hand to block the bullet from going through her chest,” the page’s description reads.
“Right now we do not know if her finger will heal or die – we’re hoping for the best, however her medical expenses are high and I’m unable to work due to the incident.
“Please let’s help get my daughter back to full recovery.”