Mom charged after toddler finds gun, shoots self at DeKalb hotel

Police arrested a woman Wednesday, two days after her 2-year-old found her gun and shot himself, DeKalb police said.

Valencia Burks was at the Knights Inn on Panola Road in Lithonia when her son found a handgun in her purse about 2:30 a.m. Monday and accidentally shot himself in the abdomen, police said.

The family is from North Carolina and arrived at the DeKalb hotel Sunday evening, police said.

The toddler was rushed to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston in critical condition and immediately taken into surgery, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.

He is continuing to improve and is expected to recover, DeKalb police Maj. Stephen Fore said.

Burks was charged with reckless conduct, a misdemeanor. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 12 months confinement and/or up to a $1,000 fine, Fore said.

About the Author

Ellen Eldridge

Thanksgiving travel will clog metro Atlanta interstates again Sunday

Experts say more than 2 million motorists will hit Georgia roads for Thanksgiving.

1h ago

Man locked up for 23 years despite evidence proving his innocence, lawsuit says

Although investigators had reason to believe Bharadia wasn’t involved in the crime, they pushed forward with a case against him anyway, the lawsuit says.