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Authorities: 6-year-old accidentally kills 5-year-old relative
Monday, December 21, 2009
Last updated: Monday December 21, 2009, 6:39 PM
BY MARLENE NAANES
The Record
STAFF WRITER
9 Comments PATERSON — A 6-year-old child accidentally shot a 5-year-old boy after the two found a gun in a Kearny Street home Sunday night, authorities said.
The 6-year-old child, who police are not identifying, was playing with 5-year-old Daron Mayes in a bedroom of the home, at 178 Kearny St., when the pair found a .380 gun about 8:20 p.m., said Passaic County Chief Assistant Prosecutor John Latoracca.
"They were playing with the gun, and the 5-year-old received a gun shot wound to the back of the head," Latoracca said.
The boy was transported to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to the Passaic County Sheriff's Office. He is related to the 6-year-old child, but the prosecutor's office would not say how.
Authorities are looking for a 23-year-old relative who lives in the home and who owns the gun, but they would not identify the person. The prosecutor's office believes the gun is not registered and said charges are possible.
Neighbors did not know the family too well, but saw the dad going to work in the morning and the mother walking several children to school every day. Pedro Gonzales, who lives next door, said he'd often hand the children a basketball when it bounced into his yard.
He said the parents and their five children, who seemed 14 and younger, were nice, respectable people.
"I feel sorry that that happened," Gonzales said. "Me and my wife couldn't sleep at all. All night we were thinking they already got the kids a Christmas present."
The Sheriff’s Office commended Capt. James Hearney for administering first aid and CPR in an attempt to save the boy Sunday night.
“Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers are with his family,” Sheriff Jerry Speziale said in a statement.
The latest data available shows 3,184 children and teens were killed by gunfire in America in 2006, says the Children's Defense Fund. Of those shootings, 154 were accidents.
In New Jersey that year, 58 children and teens were shot dead, including 2 by accident.
It was unclear how often children pulled the trigger.
Staff writer Leslie Brody contributed to this story.
PATERSON — A 6-year-old child accidentally shot a 5-year-old boy after the two found a gun in a Kearny Street home Sunday night, authorities said.
GEORGE MCNISH / SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
The shooting happened about 8 p.m. after the children found a gun inside the home. The 6-year-old child, who police are not identifying, was playing with 5-year-old Daron Mayes in a bedroom of the home, at 178 Kearny St., when the pair found a .380 gun about 8:20 p.m., said Passaic County Chief Assistant Prosecutor John Latoracca.
"They were playing with the gun, and the 5-year-old received a gun shot wound to the back of the head," Latoracca said.
The boy was transported to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to the Passaic County Sheriff's Office. He is related to the 6-year-old child, but the prosecutor's office would not say how.
Authorities are looking for a 23-year-old relative who lives in the home and who owns the gun, but they would not identify the person. The prosecutor's office believes the gun is not registered and said charges are possible.
Neighbors did not know the family too well, but saw the dad going to work in the morning and the mother walking several children to school every day. Pedro Gonzales, who lives next door, said he'd often hand the children a basketball when it bounced into his yard.
He said the parents and their five children, who seemed 14 and younger, were nice, respectable people.
"I feel sorry that that happened," Gonzales said. "Me and my wife couldn't sleep at all. All night we were thinking they already got the kids a Christmas present."
The Sheriff’s Office commended Capt. James Hearney for administering first aid and CPR in an attempt to save the boy Sunday night.
“Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers are with his family,” Sheriff Jerry Speziale said in a statement.
The latest data available shows 3,184 children and teens were killed by gunfire in America in 2006, says the Children's Defense Fund. Of those shootings, 154 were accidents.
In New Jersey that year, 58 children and teens were shot dead, including 2 by accident.
It was unclear how often children pulled the trigger.
Staff writer Leslie Brody contributed to this story.
