Michaela Dawn Harman Westminister Colorado mother charged after 7 year old son finds unsecured shotgun at the family home and accidentally shoots 3 year old sister dead.
A Colorado mother has been arrested in connection to her 7 year old son coming across a shotgun at the family home and ‘accidentally’ shooting dead his 3 year old sister.
Michaela Dawn Harman, 25, was booked on a felony charge of child abuse resulting in death after the early Tuesday shooting in suburban Westminster outside of Denver, police said.
The incident happened at about 10:20 a.m. in a residence on Moore Circle near 107th Avenue, according to a police department news release.
Two younger siblings were playing with the 7-year-old when he found an unsecured and loaded shotgun in the home, police said.
‘Tragic examples like this remind us of the importance to separate guns and ammunition kept in the home and to secure firearms in a locked safe or utilize other childproof safety devices,’ department officials said in a statement. ‘Parents have a responsibility to keep children from being able to access firearms, even inside the home.’
Cops and fire officials rushed the girl — who was not immediately identified — to a hospital after responding to the family’s home, but she did not survive her ‘significant’ injuries, police said.
Harman and another young sibling were also at the home when the shooting happened. That child and the 7-year-old boy are now in the care of Jefferson County Human Services, police said.
Harman, who is a single parent, is the owner of the shotgun, the Denver Post reports.
It remained unclear why the mother neglected to safely secure the weapon.
Harmon remained in custody early Wednesday at Jefferson County Jail, online records show.
