Brevard boy, 3, was accidentally shot by teen relative, sheriff's office says
The boy is currently in stable condition and is expected to recover after being airlifted to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, a Tuesday news release from the sheriff's office said.
Deputies responded to a residence in the 4000 block of Aurantia Road in Mims around 12:20 p.m. Monday after receiving a 911 call, according to the release. The boy was being cared for by relatives there.
The teenager was attempting to move a firearm to a secure location when it went off, the release said.
Tod Goodyear, a sheriff's office spokesperson, said Wednesday the investigation is ongoing and there is a possibility charges may be pursued, but no arrests have been made.
Florida law says any person who 'knows or reasonably should know' a minor under 16 can likely access their firearms and doesn't properly secure them can be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor if the firearm comes into the possession of a minor who then uses it in a 'careless' manner.
The shooting follows a June 29 incident in Lake County where a 5-year-old Eustis boy accidentally shot himself in the head with his father's gun, according to Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri. The boy was also airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jacksonville police disperse 600-700 juveniles at planned downtown takeover; what we know
Planned mob-like gatherings of young people have become disruptive and sometimes violent, but local authorities have been proactive and responsive like Saturday night, July 26, in downtown Jacksonville. Officers dispersed a crowd of about 600 to 700 juveniles on the city's Southbank near Friendship Fountain, according to the Sheriff's Office. 'Some individuals were engaged in problematic behavior, including drug use, fighting and pepper-spraying each other,' the Sheriff's Office said.'JSO was aware of several planned 'takeover' events circulating on social media and monitored the situations closely, noting the organizers used multiple locations in an attempt to be deceptive.' Before it even started, the Sheriff's Office said officers issued warnings to the events' organizer and parents advising against such a gathering without obtaining a city permit. That didn't stop them as a crowd emerged and quickly grew larger and more unruly, the Sheriff's Office said. With the St. Johns River Park, also referred to as Friendship Fountain, closing at 10 p.m., officers began to disperse the gathering and arrested a juvenile reaching for his backpack that had a gun inside. They also blocked nearby roads, including access to the Main Street bridge, to prevent the crowd from relocating. 'These takeover-style gatherings are not only illegal, but they can also be extremely dangerous,' the Sheriff's Office said. 'JSO will continue to monitor similar situations, enforce local curfews and uphold park regulations to ensure public safety.' What is a street takeover? A street takeover is an unsanctioned event where a group of people gather, often using motor vehicles, to engage in reckless driving and other dangerous activities like blocking intersections for spectators. These events are often promoted on social media and frequently involve stunts, races and hot-rodding. They are considered unlawful and pose significant risks to public safety, including endangering drivers, passengers and spectators, as well as causing property damage, noise complaints, and hindering emergency services. They are illegal and in many jurisdictions are classified as a public nuisance — an activity that disrupts safety, order or comfort in a community. Law enforcement concerns about trend of street takeovers Following the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office posting of a video and response to the matter, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department did the same. 'The topic of teen takeover has been addressed by me numerous times in the past months. A few weeks ago, it was the Orange Park Mall, this time is downtown Jacksonville, and is occurring all throughout the country,' Police Chief Gene Paul Smith said. 'In Florida, we are fortunate because we do not let it escalate before we take action. We have been experiencing this for years, and now they have a name for it.' In addition, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department issued another warning on July 17 on its Facebook. 'Unauthorized and Unpermitted Events are AGAINST THE LAW,' the post read. 'Unauthorized events include any event or gatherings that are publicly promoted and have not successfully completed the Special Events application process. This includes promoting on Instagram, SnapChat, Facebook, etc.' Promoters will be subject to both criminal and civil liabilities, and attendees breaking the law will be arrested, the department advised. 'Zero Tolerance. No warnings. No do-overs. No second chances. Just some handcuffs and a trip to jail,' the concluded. This also followed a more serious planned gathering of upwards of 400 teens at the Jacksonville Beach Pier on St. Patrick's Day last year that led to three shootings and one killed during the chaos. What happened at the Orange Park Mall? In Clay County, the chief was referring to the Sheriff's Office there warning ahead of time on Facebook that it would be out in force for an orchestrated gathering planned at the mall on July 5. The young people still caused concern and disturbances that prompted a raid by deputies, sending hundreds of participants scurrying. Social media posts and videos went viral overnight. Sheriff Michelle Cook later said one juvenile civil citation was issued, a number of kids were detained and parents were called for pickup" during the incident. Does Jacksonville have a curfew? Yes, the Sheriff's Office advised parents and legal guardians to be aware of Jacksonville's curfew ordinance: 'Under Municipal Code Section 603.201 (Children's Curfew), you are legally responsible for knowing the whereabouts and activities of your minor children. In general, children under the age of 18 may not be out in public after 11 p.m. on weeknights or after 12 a.m. on weekends unless accompanied by an adult or participating in a permitted activity such as work.' In addition, Florida has a driver's curfew that governs juveniles operating motor vehicles. For more information visit the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website. What are people saying about street takeovers? Plenty. As of 4 p.m. July 27, about 900 comments flooded the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Facebook post. Here's a sampling: "Where are their parents? Nothing good ever happens after midnight!" "I grew up with every TV were only 'It's ten o'clock. Do you know where your children are?'" "Drove through San Marco last night and randomly saw this group, looked like nothing but trouble. Thanks JSO for breaking it up." "Maybe you should change time of curfew till kids get under control. When will you start holding parents accountable?" "Thugs are running the streets." "I seen this lastnight and it was disappointing. The kids were not responding to the demands to disburse. They were in a large crowd moving together in the opposite direction they were being directed, running, jumping over stuff, cursing it was horrible and heartbreaking to witness. I'd just advise parents never say what our children will not do!!" "And that's exactly why we'll never have a nice and safe downtown. No one wants to go down there and risk being caught up in that nonsense." "There is no reason a band of 600-700 juveniles should be out roaming the streets. This is a parenting fail that became a law enforcement problem to handle. I'm glad all involved are safe." "These kids need to use their energy to organize community clean up beautification events, volunteering for habitat for humanity or giving out bottles of water to the homeless on hot days." "Out of control juveniles, no parental guidance. Courts need to start holding juveniles and parents accountable for their actions and consequences given out. They won't take it seriously if they don't actually get some kind of consequence." "There's nothing for these kids to do here. ... Summer is almost over and they want to get out and have fun. When I was younger we had teen clubs, community centers etc." This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville police disperse mass of teens at planned street takeover Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Four adults accused of torturing kids by putting them in cages and spraying their faces with vinegar
Four adults are accused of holding nine children captive inside their Florida home, locking them in cages and spraying them with vinegar as part of a sick punishment, authorities said. Husband and wife Brian and Jill Griffeth, as well as 21-year-old Dallin and 19-year-old Liberty Griffeth, were arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office said Friday. The four adults are accused of locking the children inside cages in their bedrooms, giving them non-prescribed medication and not providing them adequate schooling – all while instructing them to lie about what happens in their Fort White, Florida, home. The children were also 'forced to lie on the floor by the mother, Jill, and having her place a sheet of plywood on top of the child's body and press down on them, resulting in splinters and pain,' according to the sheriff's office. When punishing the children – five of whom are biological to the couple, while four were adopted – the adults would spray them in the face with vinegar, authorities said. An investigation into the alleged child abuse happening to the nine children, aged between seven and 16, stemmed from concerns from a mandatory reporter at their local church of church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the days before their arrests, one of the children was caught at a church camp with a functioning electronic stun gun, authorities said. 'Additional concerns were raised about the adopted children being treated unfairly compared to the Griffeth biological children, in addition to the children not knowing their full name or their own birthdays,' the sheriff's office said. When authorities went to the home, they saw the adopted children working on chores while the biological children were playing and watching television. Authorities then discovered the couple shared a 10th foster child, who was not present but with their biological parent in Arizona. A well-being check concluded that child was safe and healthy. When authorities began investigating, the adopted children made additional accusations against the adults, including that they were being beaten with a cane and locked in their bedrooms by Brian and the other adults. All nine of the children have been court-ordered to be removed from the home, authorities said. All four adults were arrested on July 22 for aggravated child abuse. They are all being held in the Columbia County Detention Facility on $500,000 bonds.
Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
A CBP Mystery Points to Lawfare
Something seems to be rotten at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office in Orlando, Fla., where a fake U.S. entry document for an adviser to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been posted on its official website not once but twice since 2024. Cellphone data, credit card receipts and the passenger manifest for a commercial flight that Filipe Martins took in Brazil on Dec. 31, 2022, prove that he couldn't have entered the U.S. late on the night of Dec. 30, 2022, as CBP Orlando first alleged in March 2024. When these facts were brought to the attention of the Homeland Security Department, it agreed that Mr. Martins couldn't be in two places at one time. In June 2024 it took down a bad entry log. This month it suddenly reappeared on CBP Orlando's website.
