Chicago

Parents Charged in 3-Year-Old's Accidental ‘Cops and Robbers' Shooting

The father and mother of a 3-year-old boy who was accidentally shot on Chicago’s South Side Thursday has been charged in relation to the shooting, prosecutors announced Friday.

Michael D. Riley, 34, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and child endangerment. He was scheduled to appear in bond court Saturday.

Gwenddolyn Holloway, 28, was charged with child endangerment--a misdemeanor.

The shooting occurred at the 6200 block of South Aberdeen Street about 4:58 p.m. in the city’s Englewood neighborhood, according to police.

The boy was accidentally shot while playing cops and robbers on Chicago’s South Side Thursday afternoon and was in critical condition, police and fire officials said. Holloway and Riley left the children unattended with a gun in the home that wasn't properly secured, police say.

Firearms and drugs were recovered from the home, police said, and the parents were taken into police custody.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi called the shooting a "travesty" in a tweet Thursday night. He said the children were left alone in "deplorable conditions" in the home where the shooting occurred.

The Department of Children and Family Services said it was investigating the shooting and allegations of neglect against the mother and Riley.

DCFS had prior contact with the family in 2013 including "indicated findings" of neglect against both parents. The family had previously denied DCFS access to the home on several occasions, the agency said in a statement. In March 2013, one of the children was taken into DCFS custody and placed in a "therapeutic setting."

"The family was referred to services and the mother has completed many of them," the DCFS statement reads. "Four other siblings, ages five to 11, have been placed in the care of a relative under a DCFS monitored plan."

Riley refused to complete parenting and individual treatment services.

"It's beyond sad," said neighbor and caretaker Myrtle Ann Hughes. "Not only is my mind shocked, so is my heart, because he is a beautiful, polite little boy."

Police would not say who was in the house at the time of the shooting or who might have fired the weapon.

"We can't comment on that--our investigation is still in the early stages at this time," said Chicago police Cmdr. Kenneth Johnson. "First and foremost a child has been injured--it's tragic for family, the child and entire community."

The boy was taken to Comer’s Children’s Hospital, according to Chicago Fire Department officials.

Area detectives were investigating.

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