LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Last month, a 3-year-old boy was taken to Norton Children's Hospital after he was shot in the leg.
Now, three of the boy's family members -- including his parents -- are facing serious charges after what police say they did, both before and after the shooting.
According to court documents, 24-year-old Jherrel White, the boy's father; 20-year-old Jazmine Wiggins, the boy's mother; and 24-year-old Dejuan Floyd Jr., a man who "identifies" as the boy's uncle, were taking into custody Thursday afternoon.
According to officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department, the incident took place on May 20 at around 10 p.m. in the area of 32nd Street and Greenwood Avenue, in Louisville's Parkland neighborhood. The child was staying at his mother's house, under the care of Floyd, his uncle, according to court documents. Police said a handgun was left lying around the house, and at some point, the boy found the weapon and shot himself in the leg.
Police said White and Wiggins got home and found the boy sitting on the couch with the gunshot wound. Floyd was asleep at the time, according to police, and the boy's parents woke him up. According to court documents, Floyd claimed he slept through the shooting.
But none of the suspects called 911, according to police. Instead, Wiggins left to find something to cover the child's wound. She then sent White and Floyd to the home of an acquaintance who lived near Churchill Downs, hoping that acquaintance would be able to provide medical treatment to the 3-year-old.
Police said while White and Floyd were at the friend's home, they stayed on the phone with Wiggins trying to come up with a "cover story" to explain how the child was shot. According to court documents, the three suspects decided to hide the weapon at the home.
Three hours after the child was shot, White and Floyd decided to take him to Norton Children's Hospital for treatment. According to court documents, Wiggins never went to the hospital, choosing instead to stay home and do laundry.
Police said he suffered a gunshot wound that went through his left thigh and fractured his femur.
His current condition is not known.
The boy's bloody clothes were later found in a garbage can at his parents' home, according to police.
Warrants were later issued for all three of the suspects and all three of them were charged with first-degree criminal abuse, first-degree wanton endangerment and tampering with physical evidence.
Wiggins is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.
They are currently being held in Louisville Metro Corrections and are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning.
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