Overview
- A 4-year-old relative located an unsecured, unholstered handgun inside a vehicle on Sunday, July 12, fired it, and the 2-year-old victim, Brayden Tennyson, was rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital and pronounced dead.
- Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said the gun was left “literally in the open,” making it easy for the child to grab and discharge the weapon.
- Investigators reported the firearm belonged to the toddler’s mother and the two children had been left alone in the car while family members checked into a rental property.
- The homicide investigation remains open and under review by the State Attorney’s Office with prosecutors saying charges are likely but no arrests or formal charges have been announced.
- Gun-safety groups and local officials have cited national data on unintentional child shootings, urged use of locks and secure storage, and said the case could increase calls for outreach on safe storage and oversight at short-term rentals.