Jan. 11, 2013

A 2-year-old Dayton boy is in Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston after the child accidentally shot himself in the chest with his uncle's handgun.

The accident took place around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, at a home on the 100 block of Milo Street in Dayton.

"The child was able to get his hands on his uncle's handgun while his mother and uncle were having dinner in the next room," said Sgt. Investigator Doug O'Quinn with the Dayton Police Department.

The gun is a Ruger 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. The bullet entered the child's chest and exited through at his back.

No charges have been filed at this time against the child's mother, Myra Arreozola, or the uncle, Jorge Arreozola. The case is still under investigation, said O'Quinn.

The child is expected to survive the accident, O'Quinn added.