A 10-year-old boy is still recovering after he was shot in the face on Sept. 7 at the Brittany Woods Apartments in Valdosta, Georgia. According to police, the child who pulled the trigger was just nine years old, and the firearm belonged to that younger child’s mother, 46-year-old Andrea McClendon. The victim’s mother says her son told the boy repeatedly to stop pointing the gun at him. The 9-year-old told investigators the two were playing with the weapon when it discharged.
McClendon turned herself in Monday at the Lowndes County Jail on charges of second-degree cruelty to children and reckless conduct. Her son has also been charged through the Department of Juvenile Justice with reckless conduct and possession of a firearm by a minor. Police say the 10-year-old remains stable and continues to receive treatment.
For families across the Suncoast, especially grandparents watching little ones during the day, the case raises a straightforward question about gun storage. A locked case, a trigger lock, or ammunition kept in a separate location all add time and distance between a child and a loaded weapon. That extra step is often the only thing standing between curiosity and a tragedy.
What’s your rule for firearms in a house where kids visit? Share your approach in the comments.
