Parents Arrested After 4-Year-Old Twins Allegedly Shot With a Gun They Found Underneath a Couch Cushion

A Florida couple has been arrested after their 4-year-old twin boys were allegedly shot with a handgun they reportedly found inside their home.

According to Fox35, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a call early Saturday, Nov. 8, reporting two 4-year-old boys with gunshot wounds. Before that, 39-year-old Keishara B. Goodrum said she heard what sounded like a gunshot and discovered one child injured near the arm.

Goodrum allegedly told police that she had been drinking the night before and was in the kitchen making breakfast when she heard a loud “pop,” NBC News reported. The children’s father, Maurice Wayne Bright Jr., 40, said he was outside cooking when he heard a commotion and ran inside the home.

Goodrum and Bright rushed the boys to a nearby hospital. While en route, they realized the second child had also been shot. Both children remain hospitalized at Arnold Palmer Hospital, where they are listed in critical but stable condition, according to WFTV.

Authorities said Goodrum admitted it was possible she “forgot to secure her gun from the night before” and may have left it under a couch cushion where the children could access it, Fox35 reported. Three other children were also inside the home at the time of the incident, per NBC News.

Goodrum and Bright were arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail on Nov. 9, according to jail records. Goodrum faces two counts of child neglect with great bodily harm, while Bright was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both are being held on $10,000 bond, WFTV reported.

Florida law requires parents of children under 16 to keep firearms secured. As the Florida Sheriffs Association explains, firearms must be kept in a locked container or secured with a trigger lock to prevent unauthorized use.

“If a minor gains access to an unsecured firearm, the owner may face criminal charges if the weapon is discharged and causes harm,” the organization stated in a 2024 blog post. “This law is designed to promote responsible gun ownership and protect minors from accidental firearm injuries.”

Deputies told WFTV that the Department of Children and Families is involved in the case. Bright may be allowed to maintain custody of the children if he posts bond and is released from jail.