A Pharr couple is facing charges following a tragic incident where a child discovered a firearm in a drawer, resulting in the accidental shooting of a 4-year-old girl, according to documents.
Armando Gonzalez and Madison Gonzalez have been taken into custody by the Pharr Police Department. They are facing charges related to allowing a child access to a firearm, which resulted in serious bodily harm. According to jail records, both individuals have been arrested.
An investigator was sent to an apartment on South Embassy Avenue after receiving a report of a girl being shot at 11:05 p.m. on May 30.
The investigator interviewed the victim’s mother, who mentioned that she was taking care of her other daughter while she was away. According to the document, the only individuals present in the apartment that day were the woman, her 4-year-old daughter, her son, and her grandson.
As she was tidying up downstairs, the woman suddenly heard a loud noise resembling a firecracker. A distressing incident unfolded as she hurried upstairs to discover her young daughter with a gunshot wound to her hand, alongside the presence of a firearm in a nearby drawer, as described in the affidavit.
A woman inquired about the circumstances surrounding a 4-year-old girl being shot. The girl explained that her brother had discovered a gun in a drawer, which accidentally slipped from his grasp as per Lubbock News.
The investigator interviewed Madison Gonzalez, the daughter who was away at the time, and she stated that she had no knowledge of a firearm being present in the apartment. Based on the affidavit, she mentioned that her boyfriend possessed a firearm and likely forgot it at the location.
When investigators contacted the man initially thought to be Madison’s boyfriend, he clarified that her actual boyfriend was Armando Gonzalez. In addition, the man mentioned that he had entrusted the gun to Armando a few days earlier.
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On the following day, authorities executed a search warrant and discovered a collection of ammunition, magazines, two handguns, and a black digital camera at the apartment. An affidavit revealed that the camera contained pictures of Madison holding a firearm that closely resembled the weapon used in the shooting. It was determined that the photos were taken in the same bedroom where the shooting took place.
Madison was taken into custody and later released on bail after a brief stay at the Hidalgo County Jail. Armando was arrested on June 17 and later released after posting a $15,000 bond.