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Parents Charged In Boy's Accidental Shooting

(CBS) -- Two Englewood parents were charged Friday, one day after they allegedly left their children home alone and their 3-year-old son was shot in the head accidentally as they played "cops and robbers."

Police said that 34-year-old Michael Riley and 28-year-old Gwenddolyn Holloway both face four misdemeanor counts of child endangerment.  In addition, Riley faces a drug possession charge and a charge of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

At last report, the boy remained in critical condition following surgery at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. The boy's grandmother tells CBS 2's Mai Martinez the injured child is "coming along OK."

Police said the boy was the youngest of the children, all aged 11 or under, left home unsupervised Thursday in an apartment on the 6200 block of South Aberdeen. A police spokesperson described the living conditions as "deplorable." The apartment had no heat or hot water, officials say.

Police said Holloway had a Firearm Owner Identification Card and owns a .40-caliber handgun that was found in an unlocked lock box. One of the children obtained the gun and fired it, causing the injury to the 3-year-old, police said.

Riley is scheduled to appear in bond court Saturday. Court records indicate he has previous drug convictions and a pending misdemeanor aggravated assault case.

Parents Charged In Shooting
Michael Riley (left) and Gwenddolyn Holloway (Chicago Police Department)

Friday, Mayor Emanuel talked about the tragedy.

"Obviously, our sympathies are with the family, the mother and father, and all their family and the other kids who witnessed something like this," he said.

The other children are with the state's child-welfare agency, officials said.

Community Activists Andrew Holmes says the incident shows how gun owners should keep their weapons out of the hands of children.

 

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