Toddler, 2, dies after being ‘shot in the head’ as mum charged | World | News

A two-year-old boy has died after being shot at a property in Birmingham, Alabama. His mother, Evelyn Leyva Etress, has since been arrested and charged with reckless manslaughter and aggravated child abuse.

Police were called to the address at around 10am on Wednesday, January 7, where the toddler was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, according to local authorities. Despite efforts by first responders to save his life, the child was taken to hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The boy has been named as Noah in local reports.

Investigators have said the shooting is believed to have been accidental, although a full investigation remains ongoing. Police said other children were inside the home at the time of the incident and that multiple firearms were later recovered from the property.

Court records state Etress allegedly told investigators she had left Noah and two of his siblings alone in a bedroom while she went to make tea. She reportedly said she later heard a loud noise and returned to find two of the children running from a closet, where Noah was found lying on the floor near a handgun.

Prosecutors allege Etress told investigators she had left the handgun on a dresser in the bedroom the night before the shooting.

Authorities have said the fatal injury was not self-inflicted. However, prosecutors have not released details about how the weapon was fired or who discharged it.

The other children who were inside the property at the time of the incident have since been placed in the custody of the Alabama Department of Human Resources, according to local media reports.

Speaking after the charges were announced, Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey said: “When a gun is left out, a child doesn’t see danger – they see something familiar, and that misunderstanding can turn into tragedy in seconds.”

Etress was also being held on separate drug-related charges before being released from custody. It is not known whether she has entered a plea to any of the charges or retained a lawyer to speak on her behalf. No court date has yet been announced.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing and urged parents and carers to ensure firearms are securely stored and kept out of reach of children, warning that unsecured weapons in homes can pose a serious risk to young children.