Florida toddler pulls loaded gun from toy box during child welfare check
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) -A Boynton Beach toddler pulled a loaded gun out of his toy box as police were investigating his home for possible child neglect, the Palm Beach Post reports.
Police say the Florida Department of Children and Families was called to the home to speak to the child’s mother, 34-year-old Rosalyn Faniel, about child neglect allegations and complaints they received about a man selling drugs out of the home.
As Faniel was being questioned by a police officer and a DCF worker, the cop observed her 3-year-old child pull a loaded black 9 mm semi-automatic pistol out of his “my little learning” toy box and start handling it. Officers immediately took the gun from the child. Police say the gun was loaded with a bullet in the chamber and the safety off.
Officers searched the house for other potential hazards and found a box of 9mm ammunition sitting on top of a refrigerator in plain sight next to a black scale and a pink makeup bag carrying six bags of white/pink powder weighing 0.6 grams in total. The powder tested positive as Oxycodone, according to the report.
Faniel was taken into custody and charged with child neglect Tuesday. She was released from the Palm Beach County Jail Wednesday on a $3,000 bond, according to court records.
The Palm Beach Post says Faniel also faces charges for failure to appear in court and violating release addition, adding an extra $500 to her bond.
She is due back in court on July 13.