GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — A woman is facing a child abuse charge after a two-year-old got ahold of a handgun and fired off a round inside a Grand Rapids apartment last month.
The Kent County Prosecutor's Office said Jaulondra Cheyenne Goins is now facing a 3rd-degree child abuse charge stemming from the incident that happened on Sept. 12.
That's when the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) said the child's mother was asleep when the child got ahold of her handgun, firing off a round into the ceiling on Coit Avenue.
The prosecutor's office said 3rd-degree child abuse is a felony punishable by 2 years or probation up to 5 years.
Goins is due in court next on Oct. 10.
At the time, GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom said he hopes this accident comes as a learning experience and a reminder not only for the child's mother, but for the community, about the importance of safely storing firearms in the home.
You can secure firearms in many different ways, from keeping them tucked away in a safe to storing them somewhere using a biometric lock.
The Grand Rapids Police Department has cable locks and trigger guards available at the station lobby for free.
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