On August 26, 2023, 4-year-old Isaiah Leon Pope accessed an unsecured handgun at a residence in the 1000 block of Edmeyer Court in Akron, Ohio, and accidentally shot himself. He was transported to Akron Children's Hospital in serious condition and was pronounced dead three days later on August 29, 2023. The Summit County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound of the head and neck, and the manner of death was ruled an accident. No arrests had been made as of the last reporting, and the investigation remained ongoing.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The ME report (OH_23_751.pdf) lists the cause of death as "Gunshot wound of the head and neck" and the method of death as "Gunshot." The Cleveland 19 news article states "A 4-year-old Akron boy is hospitalized after shooting himself with an unsecured gun," and the Beacon Journal article confirms the child "accidentally shot himself."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
While no source explicitly uses the phrase "inappropriate supervision," the Cleveland 19 article states that "the boy accessed an unsecured handgun and accidentally shot himself," and that police were "still determining what happened and how the boy gained access to the gun." A 4-year-old being able to access an unsecured firearm in a home implies inadequate supervision or safeguarding.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.