Toddler, 3, shoots his own mother in front of horrified grandmother in tragic accident
SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA: A tragic incident unfolded in the city of Spartanburg in South Carolina when a 3-year-old child accidentally shot dead his mother in their house while his horrified grandmother watched. The incident took place on September 22, after police responded to a shooting at 4750 S. Pine St. Upon arrival, the deputies located the victim, the 3-year-old child, and his maternal grandmother.
The 3-year-old grabbed the unsecured gun shortly before 8 am and shot his mother, Cora Lyn Bush, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office said. Emergency Medical Services rushed the mother to the local hospital where she shortly died of her injuries after two hours. Upon questioning the only witness on the scene, the grandmother told the authorities that the 3-year-old toddler was responsible for the murder of her daughter, Cora Bush after “gaining access to an unsecured firearm,” police said.
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"Once EMS transported the victim, the grandmother was interviewed, and her account of the incident corroborated with both the evidence at the scene and the injury to the victim," said the sheriff's department on Facebook. The police confirm that all indications are a result of the toddler gaining access to the gun but the investigation is ongoing and remains open until an autopsy result is obtained. A forensic autopsy was scheduled for Thursday, September 21. The sheriff's office has confirmed the death of the mother Cora Lyn Bush and said “Please keep the family of Ms Bush in your thoughts and prayers during this time of loss and grief.”
In a similar incident in Alabama, Birmingham where a two-year-old boy found his father's loaded gun and accidentally shot himself in the face. Emergency services pronounced Ke'Anthony Jelks Jr. dead shortly after responding to the scene. The father had a permit to use the gun and had just gotten off work when the tragedy occurred. After the terrifying incident, Birmingham North Precinct Captain James Jackson urged gun owners to keep their guns locked and keep them away from the reach of children for their protection. "For those of us that have guns, we just ask that you keep them safe and out of the reach of children. We know this becomes redundant, we say this all the time — situations like this is the reason why,” Captain Jackson said.