A mother of five in North Carolina was accidentally killed and her youngest son injured when her children found a gun in her bag.
Police were called to an apartment in Cornelius on Monday night and found their mother, Gabriel Alexis Henderson, in a back room, according to a police press release. The 25-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
The only other people in the apartment at the time of the shooting were Henderson’s five children. The oldest was in the living room and the other four in the bedroom when they found a small semi-automatic weapon in the mother’s purse, police said.
“The mother was shot inadvertently, as well as the youngest son,” officials said in the note. “The youngest son was transported by the Medic to Atrium Main in Charlotte with life-threatening injuries.”
Cornelius police captain Jennifer Thompson emphasized the importance of gun security and said residents could contact the police department to obtain a lock.
“We know that children will look at a gun and will not be able to tell whether it is real or safe,” she told Fox 46 local station. “That’s why we talk about how important it is to be a good gun owner.”
“Patrol officers can come by and show you how to use the gun lock and be a good and safe gun owner,” she added.
The children are staying with relatives, Thompson said. She believes that they “will definitely need some help in the future” because of the tragedy they witnessed.
A GoFundMe page was created to help with funeral expenses and financial needs for Henderson’s children.
