Three-year-old survives after shooting himself in head with gun

A 3-year-old US toddler miraculously escaped death after accidentally shooting himself in the head with a gun.

The toddler shot himself after his aunt left a loaded firearm on a bathroom counter, police say, adding the shooting was accidental, but will determine if charges could be filed against her.

The shooting happened at a house around 7 pm, after the toddler's aunt and mother returned from a shopping trip, 'New York Daily News' reported.

The boy's aunt told police she had to use the bathroom, so she removed her .380 handgun and placed it on the counter-top. She apparently forgot about the firearm when her son began to act up and exited the washroom.

The 3-year-old's older sister then entered to draw a bath for him, according to WSMV-TV. While she was filling the tub, the toddler grabbed the gun and shot himself in the head.

His sister told investigators she saw her little brother play with the firearm, but thought it was one of his toy guns. Detectives say the bullet passed through the child's skull.

The boy, whose name has not been released, was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where doctors are calling him "the luckiest kid on earth" and say he is expected to survive.

The toddler was "conscious and fighting with nurses" on Saturday, lead investigator for the Manchester Police Department Billy Butler told the Manchester Times.

According to WKRN-TV, the boy was in stable condition on Sunday.

ALSO READ

Texting while driving?

Violence grips Bangladesh as Islamists demand stricter blasphemy law

David Cameron warned: 'Shed elitist image'

Prince William may give up his role as search and rescue pilot after becoming father