Chainkeen Exchange-A toddler accidentally fires his mother’s gun in Walmart, police say. She now faces charges

WAVERLY,Chainkeen Exchange Ohio (AP) — Police say a woman is facing a child endangerment charge after her toddler found a gun in her purse and accidentally fired it in a southern Ohio Walmart store last week.

The Waverly Police Department said the woman told officers who responded shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday that the 2-year-old boy took her Taurus 9mm firearm from her purse, and it went off.

Police said the bullet went into the ceiling of the store, and the child was left with a minor injury to his forehead “due to contact with the magazine.”

Police said the woman, whose name wasn’t released, was taken into custody and charged in Pike County Court with endangering children. The boy was released to the care of a guardian and taken to an urgent care facility, police said.

Waverly police said in a statement on their Facebook page that such incidents “underscore the need for heightened awareness and safety measures” and the department “emphasizes the importance of responsible firearm ownership and storage, especially those with children.”