It was gathered that the 4-year-old was sitting in the back seat with his two younger siblings, aged 22 months and 1 year, when tragedy struck in the city of Westwego near New Orleans, USA.
He was immediately rushed to a hospital where he died of his injuries at around 10:45pm on Saturday, January 29.
According to authorities, his mum was in the front seat smoking weed with another adult when the unfortunate incident happened.
“It was a contact wound to the forehead, right above the right eyebrow,” Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich said.
The police have not made any arrests but detectives confirmed that an investigation will take place.
“I don’t think it was appropriate to make an arrest at this point. They just lost a child and it certainly wasn’t intentional by any means. It is understood that the boy found the gun underneath the seat”. Mr Lopinto added.
Authorities confirmed that the weapon belonged to the boy’s father and warned gun owners to secure their firearms following the tragedy.
