Toddler Shooting Charges Under Review By Prosecutor

DEARBORN, MI — Charges against owners of an unlicensed Dearborn childcare where two three-year-old boys were shot on Sept. 27 are currently being reviewed by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Department Communications Director Maria Miller said a decision on the charges isn’t likely before Friday.

The boys were shot by a toddler in the childcare run by Tim and Samantha Eubanks in the 3600 block of Harding Street in southwest Dearborn. The toddler somehow got a handgun and fired a shot that went through the shoulder of one boy and hit the other in the face. Both children were last reported in serious but stable condition by Dearborn Police.

Exact details about how the gun was obtained by the toddler and from where in the house have not been released. An emergency call was placed from the child care after the shooting and Dearborn police officers and paramedics arrived on scene at about 10:20 a.m.

Both of the boys were transported to Children’s Hospital in Detroit for treatment. The hospital, at the request of parents, would not release information about their current condition.

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The grandmother of the boy who was shot in the shoulder started a GoFundMe campaign to help with his medical expenses. As of Wednesday afternoon, $750 of a $1,000 goal had been raised for Damien.

“I'm hoping to bring some relief and comfort to my children, parents of my grandson,” grandmother Cheryl May wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Please share this with all your friends and family. They need to miss a lot of time in the job to care and support Damien while he recovers from the incident.”

Aside from criminal charges tied to the shooting, the Eubanks could face action from the state of Michigan, too. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs opened an investigation into the couple for running an unlicensed child care facility. If found guilty, the Eubanks could face a misdemeanor charge.

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