Following the accidental death of their 8-year-old son, a northwestern Minnesota couple have been charged with gross misdemeanor negligent storage of firearms for making them accessible to a child.
Theodore Charles Stewart, 42, and Danielle Elizabeth Stewart, 39, of Roosevelt, each face up to 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine.
First responders were dispatched to their home on Sept. 4 after receiving a report that an 8-year-old had been shot in the neck. The injured child was taken to a hospital, where Roseau County Sheriff’s Office staff confirmed he died of his injuries later that day.
One of his four siblings told law enforcement that when their father left for work, they — along with their 8-year-old brother — took out a .22-caliber rifle and laid it on their parents’ bed, according to the statement. The child said they did not put any bullets in the gun, and they thought they checked to see if it was loaded, but when the gun was set down, it fired and struck the 8-year-old.
Theodore Stewart confirmed that he had just left for work, the children were all inside and their mother was outside walking at the time of the incident.
A probable cause statement in the case said law enforcement found 34 firearms throughout the home. Of them, one was secured; the remainder were in places the five Stewart children could easily access, the statement said.
Charges were filed via summons on Sept. 30. The couple’s first court appearances are scheduled for Monday.
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