Napping child is shot with gun their dad left under the pillow, Indiana cops say
A 29-year-old man was charged with neglect after police said his child was fatally shot with the gun he left under a pillow in Indiana.
Travell Daniels told police he put the gun, which he said was normally loaded with a single bullet, under his pillow after he got to his home in Fort Wayne. Later, he put the child down for a nap in the same bed, police say.
Daniels said he left the room after he was sure the child was asleep, according to an affidavit. A few minutes later, he heard a bang and found the child with a gunshot wound. Daniels said he was unsure how it happened, according to police.
The child was immediately taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead on Jan. 27, police said. The age and gender of the child were not listed.
Attorney information for Daniels was not listed.
Daniels told police no one else knew about the gun under his pillow, according to the affidavit.
The girlfriend of Daniels’ brother was also in the home with her 5-year-old and 1-year-old children, according to an affidavit. The girlfriend told police she was asleep and woke up to a pop and Daniels running up the stairs.
She said she stayed in the room with her two children until the police arrived, according to police.
Daniels’ bond was set at $25,000, and he is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, according to court documents. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 1.
Fort Wayne is about 120 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
This story was originally published January 29, 2024 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Napping child is shot with gun their dad left under the pillow, Indiana cops say."
