A mother is behind bars after her 2-year-old son found an unsecured gun in their east Orlando home and shot and killed his father.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called in response to a shooting on May 26 at around 12 p.m. Upon arrival, police discovered 26-year-old Reggie Mabry had been shot and was receiving CPR from 28-year-old Marie Ayala in front of their three children, ages 5, 2, and 5 months old.
Mabry was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Initially, detectives believed the incident may be suicide.
However, at the hospital, they discovered that Mabry had been shot in the back.
During further investigation, the couple’s 5-year-old daughter told authorities that her 2-year-old brother had shot their father with a gun found in the couple’s room.
According to authorities, the gun was left unsecured in the same room that the couple shared with their three children.
Both Mabry and Ayala were on probation for child neglect and narcotics charges, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.
“The gun was not properly stored, in fact it was easily accessible. Even to a 2-year-old,” said Mina during a press conference on Monday. “The result is a tragedy in this community that really, nobody can comprehend.”
Ayala was arrested and has been charged with manslaughter by culpable negligence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Authorities say the children were not injured during the incident.