Sarasota, Florida — A 4-year-old boy died after investigators say he found a loaded handgun inside his mother’s purse and accidentally shot himself in the face, leading to a criminal negligence charge against his mother months after the June tragedy.
Diamond Phillips, 29, was arrested Tuesday, Sept. 22, following the death of her son on June 21. Court records indicate she was charged with culpable negligence involving a firearm accessible to a minor.
The case is based on an investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which examined how the young child was able to access the firearm inside the home.
Child Reached Into Mother’s Purse
According to a probable cause affidavit filed Aug. 28, deputies were called to a Sarasota-area home after receiving a report that a child had shot himself.
Investigators alleged that the boy climbed onto a kitchen stool and reached into his mother’s purse, which had been placed on the kitchen island.
Inside the purse was a .380-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun. The child reportedly pulled the firearm from the purse before it discharged, striking him in the face.
Investigators later examined the scene and firearm as part of the effort to determine what happened.
Investigators Examined the Gun
Forensic and autopsy information cited in the affidavit indicated that the boy was likely looking down the barrel of the handgun when it fired.
Investigators also reported finding a bullet fragment in the kitchen ceiling, providing additional evidence about the direction of the firearm when it discharged.
A spent cartridge casing was found lodged in the gun’s ejection port and chamber. Investigators described the condition as a stovepipe malfunction.
According to the sheriff’s office, the malfunction “was likely caused by insufficient grip resistance during firing, which is consistent with a young child operating the firearm,” the affidavit states.
The findings were part of the investigation into how the firearm discharged and whether the child was able to operate it without adult intervention.
Mother Said She Thought Purse Was Out of Reach
Phillips told deputies that she normally kept her firearm in a small compartment inside her purse. She said she had placed the purse in the middle of the kitchen island because she believed it was not accessible to her children.
According to the affidavit, Phillips also told investigators that her children knew they were not supposed to climb onto the kitchen stools or eat at the counter.
However, investigators alleged that the firearm was loaded and not otherwise secured when Phillips placed the purse on the island that day.
Phillips reportedly told detectives that she typically carried the gun in the bottom zippered compartment of her purse without a holster, along with an extra magazine. She said she carried it for “protection while away from home,” according to the affidavit.
Grandmother Was Also in the Home
The affidavit states that the boy’s grandmother was present at the home when the shooting occurred. Investigators said she told deputies that she had warned the 4-year-old and his 2-year-old brother not to climb onto the counter shortly before the firearm discharged.
Despite the warning, investigators allege that the older child was able to climb onto the kitchen stool, reach the purse and retrieve the handgun.
The incident ultimately resulted in the child’s death.
Mother Released on Bond
Phillips was arrested on Sept. 22 and was released the following day on a $10,000 bond, according to jail records. She now faces the firearm-related culpable negligence charge connected to her son’s death. Her next scheduled court appearance is Nov. 6.
The case remains centered on the circumstances that allowed a young child to access the loaded firearm inside the home. The allegations in the affidavit represent investigators’ account of the incident, while the criminal case will proceed through the court system.
The tragedy also highlights the potentially devastating consequences when children gain access to unsecured firearms, particularly when a loaded weapon is stored inside an item they can reach.
What do you think about the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
