LEHI, Utah — The mother of the 8-year-old who died from self-inflicted shooting was charged with manslaughter and abuse of a child with disability Thursday.
Jennifer Marie Pu'u, 44, faces a count of manslaughter, a second-degree felony and abuse or neglect of a child with a disability, a third-degree felony.
Court documents state Pu'u left the vehicle to enter the gas station when Sergeant "Sargy" Rosales found a loaded and unsecured handgun when it accidentally discharged.
The Pu'u had told police the handgun was beneath the driver's seat, but investigators determined there was not enough room beneath the seat for a handgun to be placed there. According to interviews with family members, the defendant was known to leave guns "laying around".
Investigators also state there was no holster nor any type of "secure retention container" for the gun inside the vehicle.
A behavioral therapist who worked with the child had been in the defendant's home when on two separate occasions saw unsecured handguns within easy reach of children.
Sargy was autistic, having the mind of a 2-year-old. Court documents state the behavioral therapist found the child to have played with toy guns with his siblings, having no concept of the danger a real gun presented.
