US: 4-year-old Pennsylvania boy who shot himself showing signs of recovery after being paralysed

A four-year-old boy in the US suffered paralysis after accidentally shooting himself in the head with an unsecured gun at his Pennsylvania home.

Following the incident in July, Ronnie Lynn required tube feeding as the bullet passed through his skull. His parents, Laura Steele and Michael Lynn, are facing serious charges of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

The tragedy unfolded when Ronnie found the unattended firearm beneath a bed while searching for a paint set, according to the police. The gun was loaded and unsecured when the child found it.

According to the police,Ronnie's parents wereat home when the incident occurred. They reported hearing a "pop" sound and subsequently discovered Ronnie on the floor, bleeding, with a handgun beside him.

As per the details in the criminal complaint, Steele informed investigators that her son would occasionally go under the bed, where the gun was always kept, to retrieve his paint set. She mentioned that the gun had been beneath the bed for quite some time, leading her to forgetits presence.

According to the boy's grandfather, Wally Lynn, the bullet penetrated 'back' into Ronnie's head. Fortunately, emergency services acted promptly, rushing him into surgery within an hour of the incident. Subsequently, Ronnie has shown signs of recovery, regaining sensation in some of his limbs and having his feeding tube removed. Mr Lynn added, 'His right arm and right leg were initially paralysed, and now he's kicking that foot.'

Expressing her sentiments, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli stated in a news release, "This was a tragic and unacceptable shooting that ultimately could have and should have been prevented. There is one simple solution to prevent these types of incidents from happening, and it is to store your firearms in a safe and secure location."

Ziccarelli also noted that the boy "will likely have to live with this painful reminder for the rest of his life."

(With inputs from agencies)