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

A man and a female person been arrested successful Florida aft their 4-year-old twins were allegedly changeable pinch a handgun that they recovered wrong their home.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office said that nan shooting occurred successful nan early greeting hours of Saturday, Nov. 8, erstwhile deputies were reportedly called to respond to reports of 2 4 twelvemonth aged boys pinch gunshot wounds, according to Fox35. Prior to that, constabulary opportunity that 39-year-old Keishara B. Goodrum heard what she believed to beryllium a gunshot earlier uncovering 1 of nan children pinch a gunshot coiled adjacent their arm.

Goodrum allegedly said that she had been drinking nan nighttime before, nan sheriff's agency said successful an apprehension affidavit, and was making meal successful nan room erstwhile she heard a large "pop," NBC News reported. The children's father, 40-year-old Maurice Wayne Bright Jr., told constabulary that he was extracurricular cooking erstwhile he heard a "commotion," and rushed wrong nan home, nan outlet reported.

Goodrum and Bright past drove nan children to a section infirmary for treatment, arsenic they traveled, nan parents told constabulary nan 2nd kid had sustained a gunshot wound. Both children are still hospitalized astatine Arnold Palmer Hospital, wherever they are successful "critical information but are unchangeable and recovering," per WFTV.

Police opportunity that Goodrum told them that it was imaginable she "forgot to unafraid her weapon from nan nighttime before," and that she whitethorn person near it underneath a sofa cushion wherever it could beryllium recovered by nan children, Fox35 reported.

There were 3 different children successful nan location astatine nan clip of nan shooting, per NBC News.

Goodrum and Bright were some arrested and booked into nan Orange County Jail connected Nov. 9, according to jailhouse records viewed by PEOPLE. Goodrum faces 2 counts of kid neglect pinch awesome bodily harm, and Bright was charged pinch possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both are being held connected $10,000 bond, per WFTV.

Florida authorities rule requires parents pinch children nether nan property of 16 successful nan location to support handguns secured, according to nan Florida Sheriffs Association. Under nan statute, parents are required to support firearms successful a "locked instrumentality aliases secured pinch a trigger fastener to forestall unauthorized use."

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"If a insignificant does summation entree to an unsecured firearm, nan proprietor whitethorn look criminal charges if nan firearm is discharged, causing harm," nan statement shared successful a 2024 blog post. "This rule is designed to beforehand responsible weapon ownership and protect minors from accidental firearm injuries."

Orange County Sheriffs Department deputies told WFTV that nan state's Department of Children and Families is "involved" successful nan children's care, but that Bright could support custody of nan children if he posts enslaved to get retired of jail.

For much accusation connected safe firearm retention and nan astir effective ways to protect children from unsecured firearms, sojourn BeSMARTforkids.org.