LANSING, Mich. — A two-year-old girl in Flint is fighting for her life, after Authorities said she came in contact with an unsecured gun last Wednesday.
“Doctors said she will lose her right eye, and remains in critical condition as of Tuesday,” said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.
Authorities said after the shooting, the little girl's father, Michael Tolbert, took her to the hospital. From there, police searched the home on Cloverlawn Drive in Flint and found two unsecured guns.
“There were two firearms located in the front room bed,” Leyton said. "One firearm was a revolver, and the other was a pistol.”
As a result, Tolbert now faces several charges, including violating the new Firearm Safe Storage Law, which went into effect a day before the little girl was shot.
If convicted, Tolbert will be the first in the state of Michigan charged with violating the Safe Storage Firearm Law, and it carries an up to 15 year penalty.
Meanwhile, law enforcement is encouraging gun owners to take more responsibility.
“Please do your part to make sure guns are stored properly,” said Greg Morenko with Michigan State Police.
