A 5-year-old boy fatally shot himself while in a vehicle in a parking lot across the street from Florida Hospital East, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
The shooting happened just before 4 p.m. in the parking lot of the Neighborhood Kid Academy day care in the 200 block of Neighborhood Market Road, deputies said.
The boy, who was identified as Judah Todman, was found mortally wounded in the vehicle and was rushed across the street to the hospital, where he died.
The gunshot wound appeared to be self-inflicted and the weapon used belonged to a family member, deputies said.
BREAKING: @OrangeCoSheriff deputies have now confirmed the 5-year-old who shot & killed himself outside this daycare was with dad #WFTV pic.twitter.com/RKnxUXCqK2
— Janine Reyes (@JReyesinTexas) October 4, 2017
Deputies said the boy’s father discovered his son had been shot and drove him to the hospital across the street.
“We know that this father left the child alone, presumably to go into the day care center. When he came back, the child was in the car by himself. The child had shot himself,” said Jane Watrel, of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy who was at the hospital on an unrelated case saw the father running in with Judah and called it in to investigators.
Investigators said the father left the child alone momentarily. It’s not clear why he was at the day care.
“I can’t confirm that, but we know that he was going into a day care center,” said Watrel.
Workers at the day care wouldn’t comment on the case.
Judah was a student at Three Points Elementary School. Parents received a message Wednesday about his death, and grief counselors were available at the school.
Homicide detectives are investigating, but believe the shooting was accidental. The cannot say if the father will face any charges.
“Ultimately, this child lost his life, a family will be forever changed and we just hope the community will learn from this somehow,” Watrel said. “I’m sure this family felt it couldn’t happen to them, and it did.”
Deputies have a strong message for parents.
“Please double check and triple check your weapons. Make sure they are secure and away from these small hands,” Watrel said. “We know that children as young as 2 years old have the strength in their hands to pull the trigger.”
No other information was immediately released on how the boy was able to access the weapon.
In March, Deltona police arrested 30-year-old Abbie Moldonado when her 3-year-old grabbed a loaded gun and fired a shot outside the car window.
It happened at the Good Shepard Academy, while she was picking up her son from school.
Moldonado is set for trial in December.
Moldonado is set for trial in December.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Watch below for gun safety tips to protect children:
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