A man in southeast Houston has been arrested after a 4-year-old boy shot himself in the head. Police said the child found a loaded gun in a closet at the Sage Hollow Apartments. The gun was bought for the child’s mother and did not have a trigger lock. The man, 27-year-old Nicholas Zepeda-Quintanilla, is a convicted felon and is not allowed to have a gun. He is charged with injury to a child and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He and the child’s mother told police they were asleep and woke up to a “ring” before finding the child, who is in critical condition, according to Click2Houston.
Prosecutors requested a $500,000 bond for Zepeda-Quintanilla due to his criminal record, which includes aggravated assault and DWI, and because he was already out on bond when the shooting happened. The case involves a firearm in the hands of a convicted felon, which is illegal in Texas.
Neighbors described the incident as devastating, with one saying, “It crushed my heart. I am a USA swim coach for children, as well,” and calling for children to be kept away from weapons, as reported by KHOU. The court case continues, and Zepeda-Quintanilla is expected back in court on Wednesday while it remains unclear if the boy’s mother will face charges.
