ASHEBORO (AP) — An Asheboro couple is facing charges stemming from the accidental shooting of a 3-year-old girl.
The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office charged 27-year-old William Monroe Simmons and 26-year-old Melisa Ann Mumpower with failing to store a firearm to protect a minor and felony child abuse in connection with the shooting.
Deputies said the 3-year-old was shot by another 3-year-old at about 12:45 p.m. Tuesday at a home shared by Simmons and Mumpower. The sheriff’s office said the child was struck by a bullet from a .22 caliber rifle which was found unsecured in a room where the children were playing. The child underwent surgery Tuesday in Winston-Salem.
Simmons is free on $35,500 secured bond, while Mumpower’s status couldn’t be determined on Thursday.