unnamed boy
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CANDID ID: TN_22_1222
AGE
3   years
STATE
Tennessee
DATE OF DEATH
3/14/2022
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
A 3-year-old boy was fatally shot inside a house on Maple Avenue in Ripley, Tennessee, by an unsecured firearm. It was not disclosed whether the child accidentally shot himself or if the gun was fired by another person. The District Attorney General stated the death was likely accidental and highlighted the deadly danger of unsecured firearms in a home with children. The case was under investigation by Ripley Police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and no charges had been filed as of the day after the incident.
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 news article explicitly states: "A 3-year-old boy is dead after he was shot by an unsecured firearm in Ripley, District Attorney General Mark Davidson said." The entire article is about a firearm incident that killed the child.

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

The news article states that the child was "shot by an unsecured firearm" inside a house and quotes the DA as saying "This case certainly demonstrates the deadly danger of unsecured firearms in a home with children." The fact that a 3-year-old had access to an unsecured firearm implies inappropriate supervision, though the article does not explicitly use that term.

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?

Notable Details

The news article notes that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist Ripley Police, and the DA stated that "the details of the tragedy will come out when Ripley Police and the TBI finish their reports." It remains unknown whether the child accidentally shot himself or if the gun was fired by another person, as the DA "did not say whether the child may have accidentally shot himself, or if the gun was fired by another person." No charges had been filed as of Tuesday, and no one answered the door at the house on Maple. This uncertainty about who pulled the trigger is a notable unresolved detail.

Lives Cut Short