Westland Tragedy, Parents Charged as Child Fatally Shoots Self with Unsecured Gun

In a tragic incident in Westland, Michigan, a young life was abruptly ended when a 5-year-old boy accidentally shot himself with an unsecured firearm. The child, whose name has yet to be disclosed, found a handgun in his home and fatally wounded himself in the abdomen last Thursday, as

WXYZ

reported.

The boy’s parents, Timothy John Gravel, 32, and Heather Ashly LeBlanc, 29, of Westland, are facing charges related to the unsafe storage of a firearm. “Another young child is dead because adults did not safely store their firearms – yes, that is plural. The death of this child was completely and totally preventable. This is the seventh one this year,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy stated, as detailed by

WXYZ

.

Authorities responded to the situation at Corewell Wayne Hospital, where the boy was taken after the shooting. The Westland Police Department used this incident to emphasize the importance of responsible firearm storage, saying, “The Westland Police Department implores all firearm owners to store their firearms responsibly and inaccessible to children to prevent further tragedies of this nature,” as cited by

CBS News Detroit

. Enforcement of Michigan’s safe storage law, which requires residents to keep unattended firearms securely locked away, especially when minors may be present, has become critical to preventing such tragedies.

The courts have assigned Gravel a $50,000 bond and LeBlanc a $25,000 bond, with the condition that both wear a GPS tether if the bond is posted. According to

ClickOnDetroit

, the parents are scheduled for a probable cause conference on Nov. 21, and a preliminary examination on Nov. 27.

Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!