An Eastpointe man faces serious charges after his toddler accidentally shot himself with an unsecured firearm. Demetrius Owens, 27, was charged with second-degree child abuse and other related felonies, following an incident where his 3-year-old son injured himself with Owens' handgun, the Detroit Free Press reports. The child has undergone surgery for his injuries.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, as stated by Macomb County, Michigan, the child's father did not secure his handgun, which led to the event on June 15. Owens is now dealing with charges that could result in up to 10 years of incarceration for each of the child abuse and the safe storage firearm violation counts, in addition to counts for careless discharge of a firearm causing injury or death, and a felony firearm offense. These carry two-year sentences.
The bond for Owens, set by visiting Judge William Crouchman during the arraignment, is placed at $50,000. Furthermore, stipulations include the prohibition of firearm possession, contact with minors, and the witness to the crime should Owens post bond, alongside a mandated GPS tether.
Owens was arraigned in 38th District Court where he stood mute to the charges, and a court-appointed lawyer represented him after he waived his right to an attorney. His next proceedings include a probable cause conference scheduled for Tuesday morning, and a preliminary exam on Wednesday afternoon, as detailed by Macomb County, Michigan.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido emphasized the obligations of gun owners, saying, as per Macomb County, Michigan, "This is a reminder that gun owners must be responsible and vigilant in safeguarding their weapons." He continued, "We will hold individuals accountable for not securing their firearms to prevent these tragedies in the future". These declarations come as Michigan enforces its new safe storage law, intended to prevent accidental shootings by minors.
