Westminster Mother Arrested After 3-Year-Old Killed In Accidental Shooting
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - A 3-year-old girl died Tuesday after her 7-year-old brother accidentally shot her at their Westminster home. Their mother, Michaela Harman, 24, was arrested and charged with child abuse resulting in death, a class 3 felony.
Westminster police responded to the home on Moore Circle just before 10:30 a.m. Investigators said it appeared the two sibling were playing when the older brother found an unsecured, loaded shotgun.
Police said the mother and a third sibling were home when the accident happened. The girl was taken to the hospital, but did not survive.
"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 child proof safety devices," Westminster police said in a media release. "Parents have a responsibility to keep children from being able to access firearms, even inside the home."
Harman will be booked at the Jefferson County Jail. Investigators said her children are temporarily in the care of Jefferson County Human Services.
