Toddler suffers self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head
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CLAYTON COUNTY, GA (WGCL) — After weeks of surgeries and doctors’ visits, three-year-old Nasir Odom is out of the hospital and recovering at home.
His mom, Brittany Ford, said he survived a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head while in the care of a family member.
“How do you explain to a three-year-old they can’t play or do something because of what happened, he really doesn’t really understand, so it’s hard,” said a teary-eyed Brittany Ford.
It all happened on September 8th.
“That day we went over to his grandmother’s home to wash our clothes and get ready for the week, and his aunt was there, and she asked if he could go ride with her to drop her baby off with his dad, and I let them go,” Ford added, “Maybe ten or 15 minutes later, she called her mom and told her that something happened, and we had to come to the hospital.”
Odom somehow got a hold of a gun and shot himself in the head with it.
“They say that her child’s father saw Nasir looking at the gun, and he put the gun somewhere, but he didn’t put it up high enough and they just heard the gunshot,” added Ford, “They say they looked away for a minute then heard the gunshot.”
He suffered damage to his brain, his skull was shattered, it caused his right side to be weak, it affected his speech, and doctors say it’s too soon to know how else this will affect him.
“They’re amazed he recovered so fast,” Ford said.
According to Clayton County Police, warrants were obtained for Andrew Kent Jr. for the charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and reckless conduct. Kent has been arrested on the charges and is pending indictment.
“I’m just more protective of him, I won’t let him go anywhere without me, because I know that I will be the one that’s watching him,” said Ford.
Ford lost her job, her apartment, and they’re now living with her sister.
“I can’t work, because I have no help,” Ford added.
Odom is going through therapy, and they’re trying to get back on their feet.
For now, she hopes this is a reminder to everyone to lock up your guns around children.
“Around children, they’re curious, and willing to explore anything, you have to watch children around guns, it was very negligent,” said Ford.
If you would like to help Odom, his mom has started a fundraiser.
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