A 22-year-old man in Michigan has been charged after a 4-year-old girl fatally shot herself, according to local reports.
Police responded to a call about a shooting at a home in Lansing on Wednesday, Jan. 21, according to Cleveland 19, Fox 47 and Arc West Michigan. When officers arrived, they found a child with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the outlets reported. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts by first responders.
Authorities said the firearm involved had been improperly stored, which allowed the child to access it, according to the reports.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Lansing-PD-car-012526-676113d08ffa44679dfc8817960094c3.jpg)
Maliki Pendergrass, 22, was arrested in connection with the incident. He faces multiple felony charges, including a safe-storage violation resulting in death and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, according to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office, as cited by Cleveland 19, Fox 47 and Arc West Michigan.
Reports say Pendergrass has a prior felony conviction for armed robbery and was therefore not legally allowed to possess a gun. His relationship to the child has not been made public.
Pendergrass’ bond was set at $1 million, according to the outlets.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(665x0:667x2):format(webp)/Maliki-Pendergrass-012526-2-729dec581e2a4e2b9ebd8f91a58166bd.jpg)
“This child’s death was completely preventable and would not have occurred had the firearm been safely stored as required by Michigan law, using a gun lock or gun safe,” Ingham County Prosecutor John J. Dewane said in a statement, according to Arc West Michigan.
“One life lost is one too many, and we must do everything in our power to protect our children from preventable tragedies like this,” he added.
Pendergrass’ next court date is scheduled for Feb. 6, according to the reports.
