A New Jersey mother was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and possession of a weapon after her 12-year-old son allegedly shot his 9-year-old sisterwhile playing with a stolen handgun on Saturday. The little girl is in critical condition at a hospital in Newark while her mother, 33-year-old Catrease Thomas, has a lot of explaining to do.
The boy told police he found the 9-mm gun inside of their home and that it wasn’t locked up or anything, which just boggles the mind. While playing with the gun, he reportedly accidentally shot his sister, who is critically injured. She is currently fighting for her life and now this poor little boy will forever have to live knowing how much he hurt her.
The handgun was reported stolen in Alabama and may belong to Thomas’ boyfriend, who cops were still searching for on Saturday night. Police are calling this a “senseless” tragedy that could have been avoided “but for the carelessness of two adults.”
It’s unclear whether the children were home alone or if guardians were actually present and simply unaware of the fact that the kids had gotten their hands on a gun. Either way, how do you sleep at night knowing there’s an unsecured loaded gun within their reach? This mom should be held accountable for this horrific crime, as should her boyfriend if the gun belonged to him. Let’s hope this innocent little girl makes a full recovery and that she and her brother can be looked after by caring relatives.
Do you think this mom should be held accountable for this accident?
