A Detroit mother is facing felony charges after her 3-year-old son accidentally shot himself with her unsecured firearm. Tiara Shardae Taylor, age 38, has been charged with a firearms-safe storage violation, with the incident leaving the toddler critically injured but expected to recover. Taylor was arraigned and given a $250,000 bond, according to CBS News Detroit.
On Friday afternoon, situated near Conner Street on St. Patrick Avenue on Detroit's east side, the shooting occurred shortly after the mother returned from work and allegedly placed her gun on a dresser. Police indicate that within moments, the young child found the weapon and proceeded to shoot himself. The mother is scheduled for a probable cause conference on September 17, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
According to Michigan's safe storage law, which was put into effect in February, firearms must be unloaded and secured with a lock or stored in a locked box if a minor is known to be present. This law has seen enforcement in recent cases, such as a Madison Heights couple charged with safe storage violations after their child shot himself in the hand, and a Metro Detroit woman faced similar charges when a toddler shot himself in the stomach while under her care, details CBS News Detroit.
During the incident on Friday, the Detroit Police Chief James White lamented the frequency of such avoidable tragedies. "We're here way too many times talking about this," White said, "If you're going to have a gun, which many people do, you also have to have what's called responsibility," capturing the sentiment provided to Detroit Free Press. The home reportedly contained a lock box often, but not at the time of the shooting, used to secure firearms adding to the gravity of the oversight.
Public response has included educational efforts, with gun locks being distributed in a community event on Saturday, and resources offered by C.S. Mott Children's Hospital for families seeking to increase gun safety awareness. At the time of the shooting, eight individuals, including five children and three adults, were present in the home. Further details regarding the ongoing investigation and Tiara Shardae Taylor's legal proceedings are to be followed in the coming weeks, as reported by multiple sources.
