2-year-old boy dies after shooting himself with father's gun
(KUTV) — On Sunday, the father of a 2-year-old who shot himself in West Valley City was booked into jail on suspicion of offenses related to the boy's injuries, which led to his death.
The child was pronounced dead in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The father, identified as 27-year-old Tasman Maile, was arrested on Sunday, May 27.
On May 26, the father called authorities to report that his 2-year-old son had shot himself with a handgun.
According to police, Maile told authorities that he was sleeping on the floor with his 2- and 7-year-old sons. Maile admitted to keeping a handgun fully loaded and off safety within arm's reach of the boys.
Maile told authorities that the 2-year-old picked up the gun and shot himself in the head, police say. The man admitted that he had two additional guns kept in the house, and that after the shooting he threw them into a community dumpster.
Police say Maile also admitted to throwing distributable amounts of marijuana into the same dumpster.
Both guns and the marijuana were later recovered.
Maile told police he threw the guns away because he did not want to get in trouble. The 27-year-old man, who is currently on probation, admitted the marijuana belonged to him.
In the early morning hours of Sunday, doctors informed authorities that the 2-year-old boy's wounds were not survivable.
The boy's organs were attached to life support machines for organ donation purposes.
Police state that Maile's reckless behaviors caused the death of the child.
Maile was booked into jail on suspicion of the following offenses:
- Manslaughter, a 2nd-degree felony
- Transaction of dangerous weapon by a class I restricted person, a 3rd-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a 3rd-degree felony
- Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a class A misdemeanor
