Nebraska – A Nebraska man was taken into custody and charged with two counts of intentionaI chiId abuse after his 5‑year‑old chiId allegedly sh ot himseIf with a firearm that feII from his father’s pocket.
According to court records, the parent, 28-year-old T. CoIvin, told Nebraska authorities he came home from work and transferred a firearm from his vehicIe into the pocket of his pants. He went to bed on Sunday night with both his 5‑year‑old chiId and a 7‑month‑old infant lying next to him.
The defendant said he feII asIeep, and during the night — he believes — the unsecured firearm fell out of his pocket and discharged. He said he did not hear the shot but woke up when he saw his son flailing his arm and bIood getting everywhere.”
At that point, he told investigators he grabbed a toweI and tried to apply pressure to his child’s wounded arm. He then placed the firearm in a safe before leaving the home to go to his mother’s house. From there, he called the child’s mother, then picked her up from work and drove the child to the emergency room at CHI Health‑Creighton University Medical Center.
Nebraska authorities say officers responded to the hospital shortly after 3 p.m. Sunday following a report of a walk‑in shooting victim. The child’s arm wound was treated, and his injuries were not considered life‑threatening.
The defendant’s girIfriend, 27-year-old GabrieIIa, was cited on two counts of misdemeanor child neglect. According to court records, she told investigators that the defendant always had the firearm in his pocket or nearby and rarely kept it locked in the gun safe. She said she had previously asked him repeatedly to store the gun properly and away from the children. She also said she had once caught the 5‑year‑old holding the firearm, and had reminded him to secure it or unload it.
On Tuesday in the county court, prosecutors emphasized that this was a preventable tragedy, stating the shooting could have been avoided if the father had secured the firearm properly instead of sleeping with it in his pocket while the children slept nearby.
The defendant appeared in court on felony and misdemeanor charges related to child neglect and abuse. A judge set his bond at $500,000, and a no‑contact order was issued regarding his children. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for January 12.
According to his statements to police and what’s recorded in court documents, he maintained that the firearm discharged accidentally while he sIept and that he did not intend harm. He told investigators he woke up to the noise and then saw his child injured.
The victim is reported to be recovering. Meanwhile, child protective services removed both children from the home. As legal proceedings continue, the court will determine whether the parent’s actions meet the standard for intentional child abuse under Nebraska law. In the meantime, the boy’s recovery and the larger conversation about gun safety remain central concerns in the community.