Woman arrested after Tampa toddler accidentally shoots 5-month-old baby, police say
Mugshot of Paula Marie Concepcion Santos. Courtesy: Tampa Police Department.
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa police are investigating after they say a 5-month-old baby was accidentally shot by a three-year-old child on Saturday afternoon.
According to the Tampa Police Department, officers were called to a home on the 8300 block of 17th St in Tampa around 1 p.m. because a baby had been shot.
EMS took the child, who appeared to have non-life-threatening injuries, to Tampa General Hospital.
Police say 25-year-old Paula Marie Concepcion Santos and a 3-year-old child were at home when the shooting occurred. According to TPD, Concepcion Santos told police that the 3-year-old got ahold of the firearm and accidentally fired it.
Concepcion Santos was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm. Investigators have not said what Concepcion Santo's relationship is to the children.
READ: Apollo Beach man arrested after 5-year-old boy accidentally shoots himself
"While we're incredibly thankful this infant was not fatally injured, this should serve as a reminder to every parent or guardian to immediately go and check that their guns are properly secured," said Chief Mary O'Connor. "Children should not be able to access firearms, and moreover, guns should always be stored in a locked safe with the ammo stored separately. Don't put the life of a child at risk by being careless."
This is the second time in less than a week that a child was accidentally shot after grabbing a gun.
On Thursday, a five-year-old boy was critically injured in Apollo Beach after shooting himself with a firearm he found in a bedroom, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
In that case, a 26-year-old man, who is not related to the child, was arrested on multiple charges including child neglect with great bodily harm, improper storage of a firearm, possession of marijuana over 20 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.