Overview
- A Georgia family’s trip to a Kissimmee vacation rental ended Sunday when deputies say a 4-year-old found an unsecured, unholstered handgun in a vehicle and accidentally shot a 2-year-old who was later pronounced dead at Arnold Palmer Hospital.
- The child who died was identified as Brayden Tennyson of Louisville, Georgia, and investigators say the handgun belonged to Brayden’s mother.
- Osceola County’s homicide unit responded and notified the Medical Examiner and the Florida Department of Children and Families, and detectives plan to interview the 4-year-old as the State Attorney’s Office reviews the case for possible charges.
- Sheriff Chris Blackmon has publicly urged safer gun storage, demonstrated a gun lock the department gives away, and officials are offering free locks and reminders to prevent young children from reaching firearms.
- The shooting has renewed concerns about supervision and safety at short-term rentals and could prompt wider local efforts on safe-storage education and distribution of gun locks to reduce similar tragedies.