5-year-old accidentally shoots and kills his 3-year-old sister, parents now charged, police say

A 5-year-old accidentally shot and killed his 3-year-old sister in Pennsylvania and now the parents are facing criminal charges.

Martaz Colvin, 29, and Brea Sanders, 27, turned themselves in on May 25 and charged in connection to the incident.

Police say at the time of the shooting, the couple had five firearms in their Monroeville apartment, but none of them were secured, according to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Officers also allegedly found a backpack of ammunition in the children’s bedroom.

On March 26, Colvin, Sanders and their four children were inside their home when police say that their 5-year-old son accidentally shot his sister, Braya Sanders, in the head with a 9mm pistol, according to CBS Pittsburgh.

Sanders told police she and Colvin were in the bedroom when they heard a loud bang. She told law enforcement that she saw her son running to his bedroom saying, “No, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

A neighbor helped Colvin perform CPR. The 4-year-old was rushed to Forbes Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to CBS Pittsburgh.

Sanders told investigators Colvin put one of the family’s three pistols on top of the fridge while the family was moving some of their belongings. She believes the kids put a chair up against the fridge to grab the gun.

Colvin told police that putting the pistol there was “his mistake,” according to CBS Pittsburgh.

Detectives asked him if he believed his youngest son could have chambered a live round, he said, “Yes, sir, I’ve seen him do it.”

“Mr. Colvin went on to explain that his youngest son is at a stage where he likes guns, and he said, ‘I ain’t gonna lie, I like guns, so I practice with him sometimes for safety or whatever, and I’ve seen him do it. I’ve shown him how to crack it, never with one in the head, though,’” the complaint obtained by Tribune-Review noted.

According to court documents obtained by Tribune-Review, Colvin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, four counts of endangering the welfare of children and seven counts of recklessly endangering another person.

Sanders was charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of children and four counts of reckless endangerment.