A tragic incident unfolded in Port St. Lucie where a 2-year-old boy fatally shot himself with a handgun while in a room with his mother. The Port St. Lucie Police Department has since arrested the boy's mother, Natalie Cruz, and her fiancé, Quintenn Wesley, following the event. As reported by CBS12 News, the mother is facing serious charges including possession of a firearm or ammo by a convicted felon and culpable negligence.
Wesley, who is believed to have owned the gun, was similarly charged with culpable negligence allowing a minor access to a firearm resulting in injury or death. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, was described as "not something to celebrate" by Port St. Lucie Police Chief Leo Neimcyzk. According to CBS12 News, he stated, "The whole thing is tragic and horrible. The arrest just means we finished a chapter."
The couple was detained by the United States Marshal Fugitive Task Force. Cruz, 24, and Wesley, 25, were taken into custody outside a Dollar General store in the area. Both were later transported to the St. Lucie County Jail. The bond set for Cruz is reported to be $55,000, while Wesley's is at $15,000. A further investigation of the home led to the seizure of two handguns, which included the weapon involved in the accident. A search also uncovered a spent shell casing and the bullet projectile, as per information given by WPBF.
In the unfortunate curl of events, it was revealed that Cruz, a convicted felon, should not have had access to any firearms. Explaining the arrest and the gravity surrounding the negligence displayed, Chief Neimcyzk said, "Who leaves a loaded firearm besides their child’s toy. If that’s not negligent, I don’t know what is," in a quote obtained by CBS12 News. According to the police, there were five adults and another child in the home at the time of the shooting, but the child was only with his mother when the fatal shot was fired.
