Oakland County Parents Charged After Son, 9, Shoots Himself: Police

MADISON HEIGHTS, MI — A Madison Heights couple are facing up to ten years in prison after their 9-year-old child shot himself, according to police.

Police said the child shot himself in the hand with an unsecured gun inside a home on Palmer Street, near Diesing Drive Friday afternoon.

The child was taken to a nearby hospital where he is expected to be ok, according to police.

The boy's stepfather, 27-year-old Jacob Zachary Gean, and the boy's mother, 25-year-old Jessie Gean, were each charged with firearms-safe storage violation-minor present and inflicted serious impairment of a body function upon self or another.

They were each placed in the Oakland County Jail and given a $50,000 bond.

If convicted, they face up to ten years in prison.

Under Michigan's new safety storage laws, a gun owner must lock away their firearms if there is a minor in the house. If a child gets ahold of a firearm that wasn't properly secured and uses the gun, the owner can face multiple penalties, including:

• A misdemeanor with a maximum 93-day jail sentence and $500 fine if a child accesses a gun and either possesses or displays it in a public place, or possesses or displays it in front of another person in a “careless, reckless or threatening” way.
• A felony with a maximum five-year prison sentence and $5,000 fine if a child fires the gun and injures themselves or someone else.
• A felony with up to 10 years in prison and up to $7,500 fine if a child seriously injures themselves or someone else.
• A felony with up to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 fine if the child kills themselves or someone else.

Police reminded people that free gun locks are available at most local department across the metro Detroit area.

Anyone with additional information about this case can call Lt. Koehler at 248-837-2732, or the Madison Heights PD at 248-585-2100.