Father Charged After Toddler Shot Mother With His Gun: Police

DOLTON, IL — The father of a 3-year-old boy who got ahold of a gun, shooting and killing his mother Sunday evening, will be charged in connection with the incident.

According to Dolton officials, a 22-year-old woman was done shopping at a grocery store and placed her toddler son into the backseat. The woman, later identified as Dejah Bennet, was then struck by one bullet after police said the boy found his father's gun in the car and pulled the trigger.

Bennet was later pronounced dead, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office announced Monday.

At a news conference, village officials said the young boy's father admitted the gun was his and that he was not allowed to have the weapon easily accessible in the backseat. The father, 23-year-old Romell Watson, did have a valid FOID card for the firearm.

Police told Patch Watson will face misdemeanor gun charges, but did not immediately respond to questions on what the exact charges will be.