Lake County

Lake County father charged after 12-year-old son dies by unsecured firearm, deputies say

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A father in Lake County was recently arrested in connection with the death of his 12-year-old son.

Christopher Wyatt is charged with aggravated manslaughter on a child under 16 years of age.

Deputies said the child shot and killed himself with an unsecured firearm.

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“He had been warned before and the part that was scary is that it didn’t have a safety on it,” said Fred Jones with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. “The gun was not in a case nor was there a safety on it.”

When asked why Wyatt is facing felony charges, Jones said, “I think it goes back to the amount of negligence.  As far as if we go back to October of 2019 - DCF, along with the sheriff’s office, responded out there to a gun complaint allegations. So when we investigated this allegation, it appeared at the time - what degree I’m not sure - maybe his guns were not being secured.”

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Jones said as a result of the complaint, Wyatt agreed to make sure the three guns that he had at his Lady Lake home were out of the reach of his three underage children.

“A firearm safety agreement, which he signed, in order to secure the firearms,” Jones said. “So that the kids will not have access to them.”

See the full report in the video above.

Myrt Price

Myrt Price, WFTV.com

Myrt Price joined the eyewitness news team as a general assignment reporter in October of 2012.