Toddler finds gun, fatally shoots self in the face.

**CorruptedMistress** · March 10th, 2008, 02:28 PM

OCOEE, Fla. -- Monday, Ocoee police detectives said they may decide whether someone should be charged in the death of a 22-month-old boy. The toddler found a gun in his home early Sunday morning and shot himself in the face.

On top of losing his son, the boy's father may face charges if police determine the .38 caliber gun was not properly secured. Residents of the quiet Admiral Point subdivision said they can't believe something like this could happen.

"The fire department and EMT's responded and attempted to revive the child. The child was dead on the scene," said Bill Richardson of the Ocoee Police Department.

"The family has advised us it was an accident. The child retrieved the gun while everyone was sleeping," Richardson added.

http://www.wftv.com/news/15545824/de...=orlc&psp=news

**Miss. Hill** · March 10th, 2008, 02:38 PM

OMG why was this gun accessible? Why was it loaded? What were they thinking? I'm thankful my children are healthy, to lose them to stupid mistakes, unacceptable! Poor baby :(

**TXChris** · March 10th, 2008, 02:46 PM

Oh, man, I can hear the gun-ban proponents salivating already.

It is truly such a sad thing that this child is now dead because of the ignorance of the parents. It is an absolute tragedy that the parents did not properly secure the gun, as any RESPONSIBLE person would have done. But, one must remember, it IS ONLY the fault of the parents. Period. It is not because they had a gun, rather it is because it was not taken care of as it should have been.

I'm torn on what should happen at this point. I have emotions battling with logic. The parents will forever have to live with the knowledge that THEY caused their child's death. That has to be far worse than any punishment which the government could ever impose on them, and much longer lasting. It is my opinion that, if they do get sentenced, it will be in reaction to the fact that others are hurt by the loss of this child (grandparents, friends, etc.) and not as a form of protection for the community.

**Angel** · March 10th, 2008, 03:55 PM

Gun ownership, and gun safety should always go hand-in-hand. Parents who have the former, but lack training in the latter, will continue to give law abiding, responsible gun owners a bad name. I truly feel pity for the parents, and what they must be going through, and regret that this lesson was learned at the cost of their child's life. :(

**CorruptedMistress** · March 10th, 2008, 03:57 PM

Absolutely, this guy was very irresponsible in many ways. It is widely reported in the news that this gun was unregistered. It is rather sad that the toddler will not be able to experience life because his father was careless.

**CorruptedMistress** · March 19th, 2008, 03:16 AM

The father has just been arrested:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/myfox/pa...Y&pageId=3.2.1

**Lizard** · March 19th, 2008, 09:12 AM

Ah, possession of a firearm by a felon. I'm not getting the sense that Dad was the responsible, upstanding citizen we'd prefer gun owners to be.

**skeptical** · March 19th, 2008, 10:29 AM

I own two guns myself, however, they are both locked up and secured so that my children nor grandchildren can get hold of them. I believe in the right to bare arms but some people are just not qualified to own weapons of any kind.

**Unamused Cat** · March 20th, 2008, 10:56 PM

I don't see how that toddler was strong enough cause that gun to fire, unless the trigger pull was really reduced.

**ThreeOnAMeathook** · March 21st, 2008, 12:58 AM

God, what a fucking idiotic 22-month-old. Good job, you little imbecile.

KIDDING! Sometimes you gotta make light of the human condition.

This is terrible news and the parents should not only have their FOID card revoked, but be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Another step toward repealing our 2nd Amendment right on account of an irresponsible gun owner. Good job, you big imbeciles (parents this time).

**Unamused Cat** · May 20th, 2008, 01:46 AM

Autopsy has revealed that the toddler, Tyler Rodgers, had cocaine in his system.

Dontavious Rodgers

http://www.local6.com/news/16335064/...rlpn&psp=news#

**Lizard** · May 20th, 2008, 01:59 AM

Originally Posted by Unamused Cat

Dontavious Rodger

I'm starting to think of those eyebrows as perp eyebrows!

**w8ng4msrgt** · May 20th, 2008, 06:42 AM

gang banger

**~Absynthe~** · May 20th, 2008, 09:18 AM

The first story says that the child got the gun in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping.

The second story says..The boy's father, Dontavious Rodgers, told police his son got hold of a revolver and the gun went off in the middle of the night while he tried to get it back.

So I am leaning more toward the father shooting the baby. Damn felon shouldn't of had the gun in the first place! It should have been locked up, but why should we be surprised that it wasn't? Sounds like he left his coke just laying around too! If your too stupid to keep your drugs out of your childrens reach than why put your gun up?

DICKWAD!!!!

**Abroad** · May 20th, 2008, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by CorruptedMistress

Absolutely, this guy was very irresponsible in many ways. It is widely reported in the news that this gun was unregistered. It is rather sad that the toddler will not be able to experience life because his father was careless.

While he is still able to father more children a Darwin Award is probably out of the question, but this ought really to warrant some sort of honourable mention ......

**Abroad** · May 20th, 2008, 02:15 PM

You know, I first clicked on this thinking it was the same story that Nurseronda posted and interested in seeing how different the two of you would present it ..... and instead it turns out that two toddlers have died for stupidly similar and unnecessary reasons.

So sad