A 2-year-old child, Ayden Demetrias King, died after a gunshot wound on the evening of April 26, 2023, at the Phoenix Apartments on Whitesville Street in LaGrange, Georgia. Emergency responders found Ayden with a single gunshot wound to the face; he was taken to a nearby hospital but did not survive.A LaGrange Police Department investigation concluded Ayden had found a loaded handgun that belonged to his mother and that the wound was self-inflicted. The mother, grandmother, and two older siblings were present in the apartment when the shooting occurred.

Law enforcement says the mother had legally purchased the firearm for protection and believed it was stored where the children could not access it. After a thorough inquiry, police announced they did not expect to file charges and were not seeking suspects.The death is described as an accidental shooting.

Does anyone have information about storage practices or safety steps in homes with young children that could help prevent similar tragedies?