ORANGE COUNTY, FL - A man and a woman have been arrested after their four-year-old twins were allegedly shot with a handgun that they found inside their home.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) said that the shooting occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, November 8, when deputies were called to respond to reports of two four-year-old boys with gunshot wounds, FOX35 reported. Both young boys suffered critical injuries, but as of Monday morning, they were considered to be in stable condition.
The children were taken to the hospital by their parents, 39-year-old Keishara Goodrum and 40-year-old Maurice Bright. Both children were later transported to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children for further treatment.
Both parents told detectives that they did not see what happened, but heard a loud "pop" inside their home. Goodrum said she drank heavily the night before, then went to the grocery store Saturday morning. She was in the kitchen making breakfast when she heard what she believed was a gunshot.
Bright said he was outside on the patio cooking food on the grill when the loud sound went off. Goodrum told deputies that she possibly forgot to secure her gun from the night before, leaving it under one of the couch cushions, according to the probable cause statement. There were three other children in the home at the time of the shooting, per NBC News.
Goodrum and Bright were both arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail on November 9, according to jail records reviewed by PEOPLE. Goodrum faces two counts of child neglect with great bodily harm, and Bright was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both are being held on a $10,000 bond.
Deputies said that the state's Department of Children and Families is "involved," in the children's care, but that Bright could maintain custody of the children if he posts bond to get out of jail.
Florida state law requires parents with children under the age of 16 in the home to keep handguns secured, according to the Florida Sheriff's Association. Under the statute, parents are required to keep firearms in a "locking container or secured with a trigger lock to prevent unauthorized use."
"If a minor does gain access to an unsecured firearm, the owner may face criminal charges if the firearm is discharged, causing harm," the organization shared in a 2024 blog post. "The law is designed to promote responsible gun ownership and protect minors from accidental firearm injuries."
The Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) said that the shooting occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, November 8, when deputies were called to respond to reports of two four-year-old boys with gunshot wounds, FOX35 reported. Both young boys suffered critical injuries, but as of Monday morning, they were considered to be in stable condition.
The children were taken to the hospital by their parents, 39-year-old Keishara Goodrum and 40-year-old Maurice Bright. Both children were later transported to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children for further treatment.
Both parents told detectives that they did not see what happened, but heard a loud "pop" inside their home. Goodrum said she drank heavily the night before, then went to the grocery store Saturday morning. She was in the kitchen making breakfast when she heard what she believed was a gunshot.
Bright said he was outside on the patio cooking food on the grill when the loud sound went off. Goodrum told deputies that she possibly forgot to secure her gun from the night before, leaving it under one of the couch cushions, according to the probable cause statement. There were three other children in the home at the time of the shooting, per NBC News.
Goodrum and Bright were both arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail on November 9, according to jail records reviewed by PEOPLE. Goodrum faces two counts of child neglect with great bodily harm, and Bright was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both are being held on a $10,000 bond.
Deputies said that the state's Department of Children and Families is "involved," in the children's care, but that Bright could maintain custody of the children if he posts bond to get out of jail.
Florida state law requires parents with children under the age of 16 in the home to keep handguns secured, according to the Florida Sheriff's Association. Under the statute, parents are required to keep firearms in a "locking container or secured with a trigger lock to prevent unauthorized use."
"If a minor does gain access to an unsecured firearm, the owner may face criminal charges if the firearm is discharged, causing harm," the organization shared in a 2024 blog post. "The law is designed to promote responsible gun ownership and protect minors from accidental firearm injuries."
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