3-year-old boy died hours after he got hold of the gun a 31-year-old man sleeping with his mother brought at their home and unintentionally shot himself; arrests
Ohio – In a devastating incident that unfolded inside an apartment in Ohio, a 3-year-old boy lost his life after accidentally shooting himself with a gun left unsecured near his sleeping 29-year-old mother, identified as C. Dials, and her 31-year-old partner, identified as S. Perrin. Now, the couple is facing criminal charges in connection with the tragedy that took the life of a young boy.
Dials, the mother of the toddler, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. She was booked into the county jail shortly after the incident and released on a $50,000 bond following a court appearance. Perrin, who had been staying with Dials at the time, is facing separate charges for having a weapon under disability and violating parole. He remains in custody at the correction center with bail set at $750,000. Perrin was already prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior 2019 gun conviction and had an active warrant for violating parole when this incident occurred.
The fatal shooting took place in the early hours of September 22. According to police, Dials and Perrin had gone to bed after 3 a.m. Dials told investigators she had discovered Perrin’s gun on the bedroom floor and, instead of securing it or removing it from the room, she tucked it between the mattress and the wall before falling asleep. Just hours later, around 8:55 a.m., the 3-year-old boy entered the room where both adults were still sleeping. Police say the child climbed onto the bed, discovered the gun, and unintentionally shot himself.
Dials quickly called 911 as Perrin fled the scene. Responding officers found the boy with a gunshot wound and rushed him to a children’s hospital in critical condition. Less than an hour later, he was pronounced dead. The children’s services have since taken custody of an older sibling who was also living in the home at the time of the shooting. Perrin, who fled before law enforcement arrived, was located and arrested shortly after the shooting. His prior conviction and parole status made it illegal for him to be in possession of a firearm—a detail that significantly complicates his legal situation.
Court documents confirmed that the gun used in the shooting belonged to Perrin and that he had brought it into the apartment where children were present. While Dials did not own the gun, prosecutors argue her decision to inadequately store it directly led to her son’s death. Both Dials and Perrin are scheduled to appear in court for preliminary hearings on October 2.
The young boy’s death has left a deep wound in the community. Police have called the incident preventable and highlighted the importance of responsible gun storage, especially in homes with children. Now, two adults face the consequences of a chain of decisions that left a toddler dead — a tragedy caused not by intent, but by neglect and carelessness in the presence of a lethal weapon.
