A Pennsylvania toddler reportedly accidentally shot himself, and now his father is in jail on charges related to the boy's tragic death. Jose Hilario Abreu, 29, of Allentown, allegedly left a loaded gun unattended, and his 3-year-old son, Elijah Abreu Borgen, reportedly grabbed the gun and shot himself in the chest. Elijah had a life-threatening gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
In a news release, the Allentown Police Department stated that Abreu put his gun under a couch on March 28 and left it unattended in a room with Elijah and a 2-year-old. Shortly thereafter, the accidental shooting occurred. The boy's mother frantically called 911 for help, but sadly, Elijah did not survive.
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The father reportedly admitted leaving the gun unattended.
According to police, he gave a detailed account of what happened.
“Jose Hilario Abreu stated that he placed the handgun under the sofa the two toddlers were sitting on and left the room. He further stated that while he was in another room, he heard a loud bang and returned to find Elijah suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest,” the release reads.
Elijah grabbed the gun.
Abreu reportedly left a Glock 19 semi-automatic handgun with a fully loaded cartridge under the couch, where his son was able to find it.
“Evidence further revealed that when the gun was discharged, it was unholstered and resting atop of a pillow on the couch where both toddlers were sitting," the release reads. "A rapid gunshot residue test was performed on Elijah after his death and yielded a presumptive positive indication for gunshot residue on his hands.”
Elijah was rushed to the hospital.
He had life-threatening injuries and was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Elijah later died from the apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.
Thankfully, no one else in the home was hurt, but the loss of the young boy has changed the family forever.
The little boy was loved by many.
His aunt, Yaileen Baez Giron, created a GoFundMe account for his parents. In a message on the fundraising page, she remembered a happy and lively little boy.
“He was a smart loving little boy. Always playful and with a smile on his face. He loved his animals collections especially his dinosaurs. He has made a huge impact in our lives in short time he was with us,” she wrote.
The fundraiser has brought in nearly $8,000 of a $10,000 goal thus far.
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Abreu faces multiple charges.
The father was arrested and charged with manslaughter of a victim 12 years and younger. He also faces two counts of endangering the welfare of children and violating a duty of care which creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury for a child 6 and younger, according to the police press release. He is being held in Lehigh County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond with arraignment scheduled for April 12.
