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INDIANAPOLIS — A 4-year-old Indianapolis boy picked up a gun left lying on a kitchen table and fired a shot that killed the 3-year-old daughter of his father's girlfriend, police said Friday.

After finding the gun, the boy pointed the loaded .45-caliber handgun at Aunesti Lee Allen's head before firing, Lt. Jeff Duhamell of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said.

Police said the girl's mother, Fiona C. Lee, 26, was home at the time of the shooting Thursday. She was arrested on charges of child neglect and drug charges after officers found cocaine and marijuana in the home. She was being held Friday at the Marion County Jail.

Friends and relatives gathered Friday afternoon outside the home, a duplex in a working class neighborhood on the near west side of the city. They brought stuffed animals and flowers for an impromptu memorial that also included candles and a white ceramic angel with an inscription in ink, "She is in the arms of angels."

"I knew the little girl. I cried," said John Dodd, a friend of the family, who knew the victim and her siblings. "They were playful. I'd give them some spending change," Dodd said.

Duhamell said the 4-year-old boy was the son of Lee's live-in boyfriend, and relatives said the two had been in a relationship for about a year. He said it was not clear who the gun belonged to.

The boyfriend has a record for a handgun offense and cocaine charge, the police spokesman said. Lee also has a record, Duhamell said, but he did not know the details. Neither turned up in a search of the Indiana Department of Correction's online offender database.

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Comments

[Glocksf21]

the best way to teach safety is at the range, it also eliminates Curiosity. never leave a loaded g un where a child will have access, thats like leaving the engine runnning with a toddler behind the wheel.

[guffman]

You advise taking a 4-year-old to "the range"? Good grief.

[grossmont328]

A 4 year old is a bit young, but a well supervised 8 or 10 year old I would trust much more than guffiethef­leacircusr­odeoclown

[gemini68]

Really? So they should take a 4 year-old to a gun range? I don't think that's even legal. And your simple-minded statement highlights an even bigger issue: Why do so many gun-lovers insist on being so naive? The statistics show that your own gun is most likely to be used AGAINST you than you are to use it to defend yourself. And guns in the home should NEVER be loaded! The bullets and gun should be in separate places. Even the NRA say this!

[Glocksf21]

"And guns in the home should NEVER be loaded! The bullets and gun should be in separate places. Even the NRA say this! " I agree with that statement. all mine are in a safe, unloaded, and the ammo is in another safe. but the one I carry that is loaded at all times.

[JimInHouston]

"The statistics show that your own gun is most likely to be used AGAINST you than you are to use it to defend yourself. "

PROVE IT!

(I always love it when someone presents this assertion.)

[OdinsEye]

"I don't think that's even legal."

Depends on the state, but in most places, yes, it is legal.

"The statistics show that your own gun is most likely to be used AGAINST you than you are to use it to defend yourself."

Bogus stats based on misstating the concolusions of studies refuted countless times.

"And guns in the home should NEVER be loaded! "

Unless they are under the direct control of a responsible individual or appropriately secured, or if there are no chlidren present.

"The bullets and gun should be in separate places. "

Generally a good idea, but not always necessary. BTW, "bullets" are just the metal chunks that come out the end of the barrel. You still need powder and a primer at a minimum to make the firearm go Bang.

[LethargicTree]

In the arms of angels? Where the f%^& were those angels before she got shot in the head? People astound me with their attempt to rationalize idiotic parental behavior. Truly astounding, as tragic as it gets. I wish people had to take some form of standardized testing before procreating.

[JuniorBug]

It's called mourning. I'm sorry they're not doing it the way you like.

[moutonnoir]

All im gonna say is that if the 3 year old was armed, he could have defended himself.

[grossmont328]

more snark I see muttonchop, although this is one time where I would not mind seeing the adult that left the gun on the table prosecuted

[guffman]

Just this once? Have there been other instances of negligence that have been okay with you?

[OdinsEye]

There have been several reports that the mother has been charged with negligence already. More charges may follow.

[strick9]

Because there are incompetent parents we should ban all guns? I have difficulty believing a 4 year old aimed fired a 45 without significant injuries from the recoil. Leaving a loaded weapon unattended with children present is inexcusable. Instead of blaming the gun, blame the incompetent parent.

[HighSierra1981]

Terrible Parents

[guffman]

Lots of kids survive terrible parents. Gun shot wounds, not so much.

[InYourWorld]

Yet the burden of guilt lays on the parent's not an inanimate object. If we outlaw guns should we outlaw pools and an bicycles as well?

[zaragyemo]

Fanned. How effortlessly you said it in two sentences what I couldn't have been able to with 1000 words.

[gregcurts]

Irresponsible Gun owners should be jailed.

[Toothbrush]

I am a member of the NRA and a gun owner and completely agree with this.

[jsgaetano]

The NRA will fight that sentiment tooth and nail.

They won't rest until every criminal, terrorist, and insane person in America can just walk to the corner convenience store and buy a handgun.

[OdinsEye]

Your histrionics are quite false.

[FilmCriticOne]

NRA is a business, its a fund raising business. It won't rest until it has squeezed every last dollar from every last sucker it tries to scare to death.

I actually agree with the NRA on most things -- and it has lovely magazines. But make no mistake, it rakes in millions, and depends on half truths and fear tactics to do it.

But then, if I could get millions doing that, I would too. I'm just saying.

[Glocksf21]

The NRA will fight that sentiment tooth and nail.

They won't rest until every jsgaetano, terrorist, and insane jsgaetano in America can not buy a handgun.

[ancientmarinader]

Yup, they should be. They should also be jailed for selling a gun to someone without viewing a background check reciept (and confirming it's accuracy online)

[JimInHouston]

So you support making the NICS check universally available?

[NoSandwiches]

But....guns don't kill people......

Clearly these people should not have had a gun. I bet they picked up at their local gun show. The ones the NRA don't want regulated.

[OdinsEye]

Please name one federal firearm law which cease to be in effect upon entering a gun show.

[moutonnoir]

They stop checking ID.. 'Saturday night specials' abound.

[jsgaetano]

The laws don't cease to exist, they just cease to be enforced.

[Rooster Coburn]

It sounds like the parents were both "Prohibited Persons" as far as even owning firearms under federal law. There are numerous criminal charges that can apply concerning the gun, drugs and child endangerment.

[guffman]

Well, then, that pretty much wraps it up.

[InYourWorld]

Exactly, the child is dead because of worthless parents... Not an inanimate object. Parents like this would have had a good chance of doing something else dumb like drunk driving, drugs left out, etc. that would have killed the kid.

[David Bedell]

Newsworthy? Why even post this tragic event as news? There should be another section called "gratuitous violence" and stories like this can be posted there.

Honestly, WTF is noteworthy about this story?

[Michael Wright]

Google allows you to decide what type of news you want to see. Maybe your time would be better spent doing that than complaining. Anyway, it is better than a story about some celebrity going to jail. I think it is appropriate news. The man had a criminal record for a handgun offense and cocaine use, yet he still had access to a gun? Obviously, our legal system isn't doing the best it could.

[fumes]

~GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE..

news so big it needs it's own page!

[JuniorBug]

If nothing else, it's significant to the ongoing gun control debate.

[LouGots]

There is no excuse for leaving an unsecured, loaded gun accessable to children.l When our children were little, every one of our guns , if not actually being carried, was locked away or solidly trigger-locked. There is no room for error with guns.

[guffman]

And yet many of your fellow gun-rights activists would say that guns should be kept loaded and accessible, otherwise what use are they when the sudden, inevitable need arises for self-defense? And if there are kids around the house, "Eddie Eagle" will keep them safe. Everybody knows that.

[JimInHouston]

I guess you haven't been listening to what we said on this issue (surprise).

Different households require different levels of security. We have discussed at length those various security plans.

[OdinsEye]

EE is a program which can be effective as an educational measure.

[ancientmarinader]

They also have a conflicted messages. They tout the danger of automobiles as being much worse than gun violence, but then insist that they are in danger and need guns to protect themselves from armed criminals.

By that logic they should be much more concerned with upgrading their airbags and buying five star safety vehicles. So I guess, "safety" isnt the driving concern in their lives.

[OdinsEye]

The three basic rules for keeping firearms in a home with children are to

1) Educate all persons in the home

2) Unload firearms not under direct control of a responsible individual

3) Secure firearms or keep them under direct control

[ancientmarinader]

But fail any of those and you put my life at risk. Kind of like second hand smoke but with bullets.

[sidplicity]

Ahhh the availability of firearms. Guns dont kill people, 4 year olds that shoot 3 year olds do. Waiting for NRA to claim if only the 3 year old were armed.

[lib4life19]

Are you a parrot? This same statement has been made several times on this forum. Is there a memo I missed?

[Eres]

I must have missed something. I had no idea Rethugs had voted for allowing toddlers to carry handguns to preschool.

Yes, this is a tragedy and my heart sincerely goes out to the families. However, I could not resist making the obvious point that we desperately need gun control in this country.

[lib4life19]

We have gun control, criminals are not allowed to posses firearms. Both parents in this story had prior offenses which would have prohibited them from owning a gun. But then again, criminals, by definition, don't follow the laws.

[guffman]

I suppose the Christopher Speights are just anomalies, then. If you'll recall, he was a perfectly law-abiding citizen until he snapped.

[ancientmarinader]

That's the same as saying that we have border control, illegal aliens are not allowed to cross the border.

Being illegal and doing something pro-active to prevent it are two entirely seperate issues.

[OdinsEye]

" I had no idea Rethugs had voted for allowing toddlers to carry handguns to preschool."

None did.

"However, I could not resist making the obvious point that we desperately need gun control in this country. "

What gun control law would you propose?

[jdbond]

Well he is now ready to defend this nation.

[Dr Phillip DeKooch]

Why would anybody ever leave something dangerous within reach of a child? Not only should a person be required take training before owning a fire arm, they should have to take training before having children.

[jcabowers]

As a former Child Protective Service investigator, those folks should have their children removed for reasons of neglect. More than sufficient basis for the authorities to react in that manner.

[OdinsEye]

They have. Well, at least she has.

[eplatypusunum]

"... that the little girl (and trigger-boy)..."

epu

[jcabowers]

That little boy will have a terrible burden to bear throughout the rest of his life.

[OliverTwist]

When people did tests of children's knowledge of the locations of the guns kept by their parents they found that the parents often neglected to tell the researchers about the existence and location of some guns which the children separately told the researchers about.

[jcabowers]

They are extremely curious little creatures, born to be that way. Kids are often aware of many many things parents try to hide.

[LabRat]

Im surprised they aren't charging the boy as an adult They would in Florida

[MMRDO]

I don't see that as appropriate.

[LabRat]

I don't see the new tendency to charge children as adults to be appropriate.

[Vernon Brown]

I don't see Florida as appropriate.

[Swami Salami]