2 Charged With Child Abuse After 4-Year-Old Boy Shoots Self In Hand
DETROIT (WWJ) - Two family members are facing charges more than 6 months after a young boy found a gun at home and shot himself in the hand.
The child's great grandfather, 80-year-old Joseph Williams, and his mother, 30-year-old Andrea Drewery, both in Detroit, were expected to turn themselves in on Thursday, according to authorities.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says on the morning of Nov. 11, 2015, Drewery 4-year-old son found a gun belonging to his grandfather in their home, in the 14000-block of Terry St. in Detroit.
It is alleged that Williams and Drewery knew that the unsecured handgun was in the home and accessible to the 4-year-old and his young brother, prosecutors said.
Williams and Drewery are each charged with second degree child abuse and felony firearm.
An arraignment was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday in 36th District Court.
In announcing the charges on Wednesday, Worthy called for tougher legislation regarding unsecured firearms and also for better education for families about kids and guns. She said eight children have either killed or injured themselves in incidents involving unsecured guns in Wayne County in the last 17 months.
[MORE: Grandparents Of 5-Year-Old Girl Who Found Gun, Shot Herself Charged With Manslaughter]