Toddler killed herself with mom’s boyfriend’s gun, feds say. Now Texas man is charged
A Texas 2-year-old found her mom’s boyfriend’s gun before fatally shooting herself with it earlier this year, federal officials say.
The girl’s mother called 911 and told police that her daughter shot herself with his gun on Feb. 18, according to a March 10 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
When San Antonio police responded to the home, they found the toddler had a “single gunshot to the head,” officials said in an affidavit filed in court on March 4. She was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
Joshua Christopher Ramirez, 32, was not at the home when cops arrived, but officials say he lived with his girlfriend and her daughter.
Authorities say he could not legally have that gun as a convicted felon. Now he’s been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
His defense attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.
Officers were granted a search warrant for the home, records show, and they found a black duffel bag next to the outside trash can near the driveway. Police found a Glock handgun with a spent shell casing lodged in the gun’s ejection port. They also found male clothing and hygiene products inside the bag, according to the affidavit.
In an interview with Child Protective Services, the girl’s mother said her boyfriend sells illegal drugs at a hotel because he is not allowed to from their home, records show. She said he packed the duffel bag “in preparation to travel to the hotel to sell illegal drugs for the evening.”
Two days after the fatal shooting, officials say Ramirez went to the police department for a voluntary interview. He admitted he is a convicted felon but denied possessing the gun. He also originally denied owning the duffel bag but then changed his statement to say he and his girlfriend had joint ownership over the bag.
Federal officials believe there is probable cause that Ramirez possessed the firearm in violation of court orders.
If he is convicted of the charge, he’ll face up to 10 years in prison, according to the news release.
This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 7:45 AM with the headline "Toddler killed herself with mom’s boyfriend’s gun, feds say. Now Texas man is charged."