Experts urge proper firearm storage after two accidental shootings send young children to the hospital

TAMPA, Fla. - Two separate accidental shootings in Hillsborough County this week sent two young children to the hospital and put two adults behind bars.

On Thursday, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to an Apollo Beach home where a 5-year-old boy accidentally shot himself with a gun he found inside a bedroom. Deputies arrested 28-year-old Aston Simmons on multiple charges including child neglect and improper storage of a firearm. 

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said the boy is now fighting for his life. 

"Due to the careless actions of this man, a 5-year-old child is fighting to survive," Chronister said in a statement. "Please pray for him as he clings to life and know that the irresponsible person that caused this devastation has been arrested and will be held accountable." 

RELATED: Apollo Beach man arrested after 5-year-old boy accidentally shoots himself

Just two days later, officers with the Tampa Police Department responded to a home in Sulphur Springs where a 3-year-old toddler got ahold of a loaded gun and accidentally shot a 5-month-old baby. Tampa police said the infant is expected to survive. Officers have arrested 25-year-old Paula Maria Concepcion Santos on a child neglect charge. 

"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 TPD Chief Mary O'Connor.

 PREVIOUS: Woman arrested after Tampa toddler accidentally shoots 5-month-old baby, police say

Firearm experts said the accidents are both infuriating and 100% preventable. 

"It's negligence. There is no other excuse outside of that except for you did not take the appropriate precautions to be a responsible gun owner," said certified firearms' instructor Gino Collura. "At the end of the day, you've got little children who are innocent and who are curious, and they don't know what they don't know because conversations perhaps did not happen. Proper safety protocols were not put into place, and now they've paid the price for it." 

As Collura explains, when young children are in the house, properly storing firearms isn't just a good idea, it's the law. 

"It's not just about storing it out of sight, it's securely storing it in a manner where you can appropriately stage it to get to it in a very speedy manner, but at the same time not worry about your children getting ahold of it and doing something negligent with it," said Collura.

Children should never be able to access a gun. Firearms and ammunition should be unloaded and kept in a locked cabinet, safe or vault. 

"If you have the means to purchase a firearm and to purchase the ammunition for it, you absolutely need to take on the responsibility of securely storing it," said Collura. ​"It's no different than buying a vehicle and getting insurance. If you've got the money for a vehicle, you should have the money for insurance and gas and everything else that goes along with it. It's part and parcel."

Collura recommended performing routine checks on all firearms in the home. 

"If you're going to stage firearms throughout your house for easy access and use, do an inventory every single month. Every month go around, take a look at the weapon, make sure it's unloaded, make sure that you've got everything that you need. If you have a biometric safe, make sure the batteries are where they need to be," said Collura. "It can make all the difference in the world." 

Whether you own a firearm or not, it's important to talk to your kids about what to do if they ever come across a gun.

"With the younger ones, it's very important: ‘You see a firearm, you stop, you do not touch, and you find an adult and you tell,’" said Collura. "With the older ones, then we start talking about appropriate safety rules and engagement. If you see a firearm when you're out and about, you still should not touch unless it's something that mom or dad or legal guardian has given you permission to do and you're in a safe environment to do so."