A 2-year-old boy fatally shot himself in San Bernardino County Thursday after finding a gun at his family’s home in a tragic accident that led to the arrest of the child’s mother and her boyfriend.
Officers responded to the 6900 block of Victoria Avenue in Highland around 5:27 p.m. to find the toddler, suffering from a gunshot wound. The child was transported to a hospital and declared dead shortly after.
Police said the boy found the gun hidden between two couch cushions and then shot himself.
Officers arrested his mother, Jamaria Cobb, 20, and her boyfriend, Armand Bright, 52, on charges of felony child abuse. Both were present when the child shot himself.
The pair are being held at the Central Detention Center on $1.35 million bail. Child and Family Services took custody of a second child found inside the home.
Video from the scene showed yellow tape around a residence, several police vehicles, and a large group of first responders.
Highland is a city a few miles east of San Bernardino with a population of about 57,000 people.
A study conducted with data spanning from 2003 to 2021 found firearm use was a leading cause of death among children and teens aged 0 to 17. A common circumstance involved the child or teen playing with the firearm or showing it off. The firearms involved were usually stored loaded and in an unlocked area.
