An Eldon man who pleaded guilty to leaving a loaded handgun on a table in reach of a child who accidentally shot and killed himself is was sentenced on Wednesday.
Albert Keel, 28, pleaded guilty in January to endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He is currently listed on the Miller County Jail roster.
The sentencing hearing began at 10 a.m. in Miller County and went on through the afternoon.
Last year, Keel told investigators he was playing video games and then went to bed while leaving a handgun loaded on the table, court documents say. Keel told law enforcement he ran into a bathroom to see the victim lying on the floor with a gunshot wound, authorities allege. He reportedly told investigators he believed the boy shot himself.
First responders found the victim with a gunshot wound to his head.
The Missouri Child Fatality Review Program's latest annual report says 73 children died by gunfire in Missouri in 2023. According to the report, two of the deaths were unintentional.
Accidental gun deaths can happen when a gun fires while someone is playing with the weapon, not expecting the weapon to be loaded and not identifying the weapon as not a toy.
The Missouri Department of Social Services reports that about a third of homes with children in the U.S. have guns and many are stored loaded and unlocked.
Children as young as 2 years old may also be strong enough to pull the trigger on a handgun.
The Department of Social Services has several steps parents can take to make sure guns are stored safely.
The National Rifle Association offers its "Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program" that aims to educate children on gun safety.
It offers an eight-minute "Eddie and the Wing Team" video. The cartoon video helps teach children what to do if they ever come across a gun.
Check back for updates.
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Albert Keel, 28, pleaded guilty in January to endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He is currently listed on the Miller County Jail roster.
The sentencing hearing began at 10 a.m. in Miller County and went on through the afternoon.
Last year, Keel told investigators he was playing video games and then went to bed while leaving a handgun loaded on the table, court documents say. Keel told law enforcement he ran into a bathroom to see the victim lying on the floor with a gunshot wound, authorities allege. He reportedly told investigators he believed the boy shot himself.
First responders found the victim with a gunshot wound to his head.
The Missouri Child Fatality Review Program's latest annual report says 73 children died by gunfire in Missouri in 2023. According to the report, two of the deaths were unintentional.
Accidental gun deaths can happen when a gun fires while someone is playing with the weapon, not expecting the weapon to be loaded and not identifying the weapon as not a toy.
The Missouri Department of Social Services reports that about a third of homes with children in the U.S. have guns and many are stored loaded and unlocked.
Children as young as 2 years old may also be strong enough to pull the trigger on a handgun.
The Department of Social Services has several steps parents can take to make sure guns are stored safely.
The National Rifle Association offers its "Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program" that aims to educate children on gun safety.
It offers an eight-minute "Eddie and the Wing Team" video. The cartoon video helps teach children what to do if they ever come across a gun.
Check back for updates.
