WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – A 2-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in West Valley City over the weekend died early Tuesday morning, according to West Valley police.
The toddler shot himself in the head just before midnight Saturday in the area of 2700 South Fair Isle Lane.
The boy's father, 27-year-old Tasman William Alexander Maile, is facing charges of manslaughter for leaving the loaded gun within reach of the toddler.
On Saturday, officers arrived at the home and found Maile and his two young sons (ages 2 and 7). Police said the 2-year-old was bleeding.
Officers administered CPR and first aid until medical personnel arrived and transported the child to Jordan Valley Hospital.
He was later airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital.
“From the extent of the injuries on the child, the doctor said the child’s not going to survive,” Lt. Jeff Conger with West Valley City PD said at the time.
The child had been on life support for organ harvesting and distribution purposes.
Police said Maile was “not completely cooperative.”
“He did tell us some basic information, that the child got the gun and shot himself with it," Lt. Conger said. "But didn’t really elaborate on why the weapon was out and how the child got the weapon.”
According to a probable cause statement, after being read his Miranda Rights, Maile told police he fell asleep on the floor with his sons while ‘cuddled up together,’ he also admitted to keeping a handgun fully loaded and within arm’s reach with the safety off.
He then told investigators his son had gotten a hold of the handgun, ultimately shooting himself in the upper portion of his head.
Maile has been charged with manslaughter for leaving the weapon accessible to the child, as well as obstruction of justice, drug possession and possession of a weapon by a restricted person; Maile has a criminal history for previous events and is not allowed to own a firearm.
Court documents state that Maile had two additional guns (three in the house in-total) which he admitted to throwing away in a community dumpster alongside a ‘distributable amount of marijuana’ as to not get into trouble.
Maile’s bail has been set at $50,000.
