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Charges In Death Of Michigan City Child

Zachariah Grisham
Zachariah Grisham (Credit: Michigan City Police)

UPDATED: 9/16/2013 3:40 p.m.

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A northwest Indiana man now faces criminal charges in the shooting death of his girlfriend's toddler on Sunday.

Zachariah Grisham, 24, is being held in the LaPorte County Jail.

Prosecutors on Monday charge him with reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent, both felonies, CBS 2's Susanna Song and WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger report.

Boyfriend Accused In Child's Death

Police were called to the Terrace Acres Mobile Home Park on Farmington Drive in Michigan City around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

There, they found 3-year-old Lance Wilson shot to death.

LaPorte County Prosecutor Bob Szilagyi says Zacharia Grisham told investigators he forgot the handgun was loaded when playing the gun game with the boy.

"A child and the defendant were playing a game. A child pointed his finger at the defendant like he was shooting gun playing a game and he pointed a gun out and shot the boy," said Szilagyi.

Neighbors said the boy was sitting on Grisham's lap when the gun went off.

"Of course, I feel terrible. … I went down there, and there was lot of police, and I had to get information from other people, and they were waiting for coroner when I got there. It's just so tragic. You just can't even hardly believe it," Richard Bennett said.

Neighbor Les Heichel said Lance was "adorable" and friendly.

"I'd be tinkering around in the yard, and … you could see him from the window, and he's very admirable, you know, looking around," he said.

Grisham is being held in the LaPorte County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.

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