Jessinya Mina, a 22-year-old woman from Fresno, tragically died after her two-year-old son found and fired a loaded gun. The firearm had been left by Mina’s 18-year-old boyfriend, Andrew Sanchez, in an area easily accessible to the toddler. While Mina was rushed to a medical center, she later succumbed to her injuries. Sanchez has been charged with child endangerment and criminal storage of a firearm.
The incident occurred at the 52000 block of North Fresno Street, with police arriving at 5:38 p.m. They discovered Mina with a single gunshot wound to her upper body, according to the Fresno Police Department. First responders transported her to the Community Regional Medical Center, but she was pronounced dead.
An investigation revealed that the firearm, a 9mm handgun, had been negligently left by Sanchez. Lt. Paul Cervantes explained that the gun was stored in a location where the toddler could reach it. At some point, the child managed to pull the trigger, accidentally shooting Mina as she lay in bed. “The firearm was stored in a location where the toddler accessed the firearm, and at some point, in time, while handling that particular weapon, the toddler was able to manipulate the trigger, and it actually struck Mina as she was lying in bed,” Cervantes said, as reported by ABC30.
Tony Capozzi, a legal analyst for ABC30, suggested that Sanchez could face felony charges instead of a misdemeanor, which could lead to up to 6 years in prison. Fresno police have booked Sanchez for felony child endangerment and felony criminal storage of a firearm, making this a real possibility.
The accident has deeply affected Mina’s family and Fresno police officers. “My sister was a young mother of two beautiful children who should’ve been given the opportunity to spend a long, happy life with them,” Mina’s sister said in a statement. She described Mina as a loving, caring, and selfless mother “who was always there for everyone.”
Mina’s sister also condemned Sanchez’s actions. “Now because of her boyfriend’s carelessness, his arrogance, his irresponsibility, and neglecting my sister’s wishes of never having a gun in her house, she’s gone forever,” she said.
Lt. Paul Cervantes expressed disbelief at the idea of a two-year-old being able to manipulate and fire a gun. He emphasized the importance of properly storing firearms, particularly without ammunition in them. “Do so in a manner that children do not access it, and for children that are watching this or that hear that, if you see a firearm, leave it alone, don’t touch it, tell an adult,” he advised.
In an effort to cover funeral expenses, Mina’s sister created a GoFundMe campaign.
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