LAKELAND, Fla. — A 6-year-old boy died on Tuesday after he accidentally shot himself in the head in Lakeland two days earlier.
The Lakeland Police Department said on Jan. 5, officers responded to a home on Crawford Street around 3:44 p.m.
LPD said the victim was in the care of his father and adult brother when the incident occurred. After returning from the store, the 6-year-old and the father got out of the vehicle and sat on the porch. The adult brother later got out of the rental car and went inside.
While the father was making a phone call, police said the 6-year-old got back inside the vehicle and was able to get a gun that was left between the driver's seat and the center console.
According to police, after hearing the gunshot, the father and adult brother drove the 6-year-old to Lakeland Regional Hospital, where he was in critical condition. On Jan. 7, he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
Police said no charges have been filed, but the case remains open and active.
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