Authorities said the 2-year-old boy accidentally shot himself after reaching a firearm hidden between cushions at a Highland home.
HIGHLAND, Calif. — A mother and her boyfriend were arrested after her 2-year-old son found a loaded gun between couch cushions and fatally shot himself inside a Southern California home, authorities said.
Jamaria Cobb, 20, and Armand Bright, 52, were arrested on suspicion of child abuse causing great bodily injury or death following the July 16 shooting, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Both adults were inside the residence when the child gained access to the firearm, investigators said.
Deputies were dispatched at about 5:27 p.m. to a home in the 6900 block of Victoria Avenue after receiving a report that a child had been shot. Responding deputies began performing CPR before emergency medical workers transported the boy to a hospital. He later died from his injuries.
Investigators determined that the child found the gun hidden between two seat cushions on a couch and accidentally discharged it, the Sheriff’s Department said. Authorities have not publicly identified the child or disclosed who owned the weapon.
Cobb and Bright were booked into the Central Detention Center. Authorities listed bail at $1.35 million for each suspect. Publicly available reports did not indicate whether either had entered a plea, appeared before a judge or retained an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
The arrests do not establish guilt. Prosecutors had not publicly announced formal charges as of Saturday, and the precise criminal counts pursued in court may differ from the offenses listed when Cobb and Bright were arrested.
Another child was inside the residence when the shooting occurred, authorities said. That child was removed from the home and placed in the care of San Bernardino County Child and Family Services. Officials did not release the child’s age or relationship to the victim.
Investigators have not explained how long the firearm had been inside the couch, whether it had any safety device or how the child reached it. Authorities also have not disclosed whether other guns were recovered from the residence or whether either adult was legally registered as the weapon’s owner.
Gloria Orejel, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department, urged firearm owners to keep weapons locked and beyond children’s reach. She said young children’s natural curiosity can lead to tragedy when firearms are left accessible.
The Sheriff’s Department’s Specialized Investigations Division is continuing to investigate the child’s death. Authorities have not announced additional arrests or released information about the adults’ next court appearances.