Little Kavan Collins was walking down a Chicago street with his mother in June 2016 when he was hit in the face by a stray bullet from a drive-by shooting. On Tuesday, the 5-year-old accidentally shot himself in the hand with a handgun he found in the home of a family member, authorities said.
The Chicago Tribune reports that young Kavan was at the home of his father’s family when the incident happened. He was trying to hide a toy from his brother under his father’s mattress when he found the handgun and pulled the trigger, authorities said.
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He had surgery and a skin graft Wednesday and was expected to be back home with his family in time for Christmas.
Kavan’s father, 25-year-old Kevin Collins, has been charged with being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number—all of which are felonies. In addition, he has been charged with misdemeanor child endangerment.
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Collins was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
Kavan was treated at Comer Children’s Hospital—the same hospital he was treated at last year after the drive-by shooting.
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At the hospital Wednesday, Kavan gave a simple explanation for how he got hurt Tuesday.
“I picked up the wrong thing and shot myself in the hand,” he said.
Read more at the Chicago Tribune.
