Police recommend charges for gun lovin' mom shot by 4-year-old son
PALATKA, Fla. --Police are recommending a misdemeanor charge for the mother of a 4-year-old boy who got a hold of her handgun and shot her as they were riding in a pickup truck.
Putnam County Sheriff's Capt. Gator DeLoach said Tuesday that Jamie Gilt put a loaded gun underneath the front seat and the weapon slid into the back where her son was riding in a booster seat on March 8.
Authorities said the child had recently learned how to unbuckle himself and picked up the gun.
The boy fired through the front seat, hitting his mother in the back. She was brought to a hospital for treatment, but DeLoach wasn't sure if she is still there.
Police say they are recommending a charge of allowing a child access to a firearm.
Gilt could face up to 180 days in jail, reports CBS affiliate WJAX. The State Attorney's Office will ultimately make a decision on if charges will be filed.
The state's child welfare agency is also investigating the March 8 shooting. Gilt has not been arrested.
A Facebook page, that has since been taking down, adorned with the image of the Putnam County mother holding a gun drew worldwide attention Wednesday.
The page, titled "Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense," received numerous comments from around the world after the woman's story of getting shot by her son spread. The Facebook page has now also been filled with many comments about gun control and gun laws.