APOLLO BEACH, FLORIDA — A 5-year-old boy accidentally shot himself after finding a loaded gun at a residence on Sunsail Place, in Apollo Beach, resulting in his hospitalization, according to a Fox 13 report.
Aston Simmons, 28, was driving the child to the hospital when the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call, according to Fox 13. Detectives arrived at the residence and detected a strong marijuana odor.
A search warrant for the house was obtained, and the investigators found that the boy had found an unsecured and loaded firearm in a bedroom. A significant amount of marijuana, U.S. currency, and drug paraphernalia were also confiscated from the premises.
Simmons, who is not related to the child, was on several charges, including child neglect with great bodily harm, improper storage of a firearm, and drug offenses.
Sheriff Chad Chronister condemned the situation, stating that “There is never a circumstance where a child should have access to a firearm. Now, due to the careless actions of this man, a 5-year-old child is fighting to survive.”
The sheriff requested the public’s prayers for the child, adding that the person responsible for the incident had been apprehended and will be held accountable.
