EAST PENN — A 2-year-old boy fatally shot himself in his family’s home after his parents knowingly left a loaded handgun within reach of the child, authorities said.
Andrew Zawoski, 28, and Christine McFarland, 24, are each charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. It was’t known Friday if either one has retained an attorney.
The shooting occurred Sunday in East Penn, according to state police in Carbon County. The child, whose name has not been released, was taken to a hospital but died there a short time later.
The couple said they left Zawoski’s 9 mm semiautomatic in a basket beside the couch Saturday night, according to authorities. Police later found a magazine with 17 rounds in the gun and a holster with no clasp or retention safety in the basket, and two other loaded guns were also found in the home.
Around 3 p.m. Sunday, Zawoski was showering while McFarland was on the computer in the living room when they both heard a loud bang, according to a police documents. Zawoski soon found McFarland performing CPR on the child, and the couple called 911.
