A heartbreaking event occurred in a Northern California residence when a toddler unintentionally discharged a loaded firearm, leading to the fatality of his 22-year-old mother. The 2-year-old child had discovered the unsecured gun in the bedroom of the apartment he resided in with his mother and her 18-year-old boyfriend, Andrew Sanchez. The toddler unintentionally fired a single bullet, hitting Jessinya Mina in the upper torso.
The incident took place on a Friday evening while Mina and her son were in their bedroom. Mina, also a mother to an 8-month-old daughter, was immediately rushed to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, where she later passed away due to her injuries.
Lieutenant Paul Cervantes of the Fresno Police Department referred to the incident as a “preventable and avoidable tragedy” during a press briefing on Monday. He underscored the significance of securely storing firearms to prevent children from accessing them.
Authorities were alerted to the Butterfly Grove Apartment complex around 5:40 p.m. on the day of the incident. Upon their arrival, they found Sanchez attempting to rush Mina to the hospital. Emergency personnel initiated lifesaving efforts before she was transported to the medical center.
The 9mm firearm, which lacked an external safety feature, was discovered at the scene and confiscated by the police. Sanchez, who had a clean criminal record, was promptly arrested and charged with criminal storage of a firearm and child endangerment, both of which are felony offenses.
Cervantes expressed astonishment that a toddler could have the strength to handle a firearm. He also underscored the devastating impact of the incident on the family and the community.
Jessica Rodriguez, Mina’s older sister, remembered her as a beautiful soul who had plans to return to cosmetology school. She also disclosed that Mina had repeatedly asked Sanchez to remove the firearm from their home, requests that were disregarded.
Rodriguez expressed her sorrow and anger in a statement, attributing Sanchez’s negligence and disregard for Mina’s wishes to her sister’s premature death. She also initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to support her family.
Sanchez was transported to Fresno County Jail but has since been released on bail. The investigation into the incident is still underway.