MICHIGAN — A man has been charged after his 5-year-old nephew shot himself in the foot, mirroring charges levied against gun owners across the state— including in Kent County and in the case against the parents of Oxford High School shooter, Ethan Crumbley.
The 5 year-old shot himself in the foot Tuesday in the Eastpointe neighborhood of Detroit.
Eastpointe police say the child was at his uncle’s house when he found a gun in the cushion of a recliner.
The child is expected to ultimately be OK, but there's been no report on his current condition. Their uncle was charged Wednesday with second-degree child abuse.
The case is reminiscent of another happening here in Kent County in which a child was killed by an accidental shooting. Court documents in that case allege the homeowner left the weapon in a place that was easily accessible by the children involved.
That man is now facing involuntary manslaughter charges— the same charges faced by James and Jennifer Crumbley for their alleged role in enabling their son's access to the gun used in the Oxford High School shooting that killed four teens.
Manslaughter is defined as the 'killing of a human being without malice afore-thought' and does not amount to murder. In Michigan, this charge carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years if found guilty— plus fines of up to $7,500.
Involuntary manslaughter charges are typically filed when death happens due to circumstances within the defendant's control, but not believed to be purposefully manufactured to cause harm or death. The sentence here varies in severity depending on the circumstances surrounding the death.
