A Miami Gardens mother has been apprehended after her two-year-old son inadvertently shot himself in the leg. The mother, identified as Christina Monique Doyle, 33, is now facing two felony charges. The incident occurred in an apartment complex parking lot last Wednesday, just after 1:30 a.m. According to Local 10, Doyle was in her vehicle with her son and her cousin's 8-year-old son when the shooting happened.
During an arrest that followed days after the shooting, Miami Gardens Police detailed how the toddler was able to access the firearm. “I observed a black handgun stuck between the driver seat and the center console as well as a black holster (lying) on the rear passenger side seat,” an officer wrote in the report. Doyle had reportedly been reversing into a parking spot when she "suddenly heard a loud bang" and realized her child had shot himself, as noted in the arrest report obtained by Local 10.
After the shooting, first responders transported the young boy to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, where he was treated for his non-life-threatening injuries. As per NBC Miami, Doyle's son has been released from the hospital and is presently under the care of his grandmother.
In court, prosecutors charged Doyle with child neglect causing great bodily harm and culpable negligence due to the easy access her toddler had to a firearm. Conversely, Doyle's attorney contested, arguing that she is a lawful gunowner and had not expected for such an incident to happen. In a statement obtained by NBC Miami, the judge set Doyle's bond at $5,000 and allowed her to have contact with her son despite the circumstances of the case.
Doyle was taken into custody at the Miami Gardens Police Department after she provided a statement, the specifics of which were redacted from the initial report. As this situation progresses, Doyle awaits further legal process while the repercussions of this harrowing event continue to unfold for everyone involved.
