Columbia woman charged after 3-year-old son shoots himself in the head, police say
A woman was charged after her 3-year-old son shot himself in the head, the Columbia Police Department said Wednesday.
Destiny Andrina Wise turned herself in to investigators, police said in a news release. The 22-year-old was taken to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where she was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child, according to the release.
Wise’s bond was set at $20,000 but she remains behind bars, jail records show.
Police said Wise left her son alone in a bedroom of an apartment within reach of a loaded pistol, placing him at an “unreasonable risk of harm affecting the child’s life (and) safety.”
After finding the gun, the boy caused it to fire once, striking him in the head, according to police.
The shooting happened March 3 at the Colony Apartments in the 6600 block of Bailey Street, according to police. That’s near Prisma Health Richland, by the intersection of Farrow Road and West Beltline Boulevard.
Only the toddler and Wise were inside the apartment when the gun was fired, police said.
The child was unresponsive when he and his mother were found by responding officers, but the boy is showing signs of improvement at an area hospital, police said.
He was listed in critical condition a day after the shooting, but further information on the boy’s heath was not available.
“We stand with the City of Columbia in it’s efforts to call for accountability on behalf of the owners of the apartment complexes to maintain, safe and healthy living spaces for not only the tenants, but also for the surrounding community,” Williams said. “This incident further validates the critical need for the development of a resource hub that will house resources to encourage child and family engagement.”
Serve & Connect, an organization that connects communities and police and that’s been working in North Columbia through the North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative, issued a statement saying “we were heartbroken to learn of the accidental shooting.”
“This incident highlights the importance of developing real solutions for addressing youth safety guided by a deep understanding of the underlying causes which can contribute to cases like this one,” said Kassy Alia Ray, CEO of Serve & Connect. “Trauma is a very real and present experience for many residents in North Columbia. This can lead to fear and a desire to protect themselves and their families.”
FIREARM STORAGE SAFETY
▪ Firearms should be stored in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case
▪ The storage location should be inaccessible to children
▪ Use a gun locking device to render firearms inoperable*
▪ Ammunition should be stored in a locked location separate from firearms
* The Columbia Police Department offers free gunlocks
SOURCE: Columbia Police Department
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