22-year-old mother accidentally shot by child while playing with BF’s unsecured gun, resulting in her death

A 22-year-old mother was shot and killed after her 2-year-old child found her boyfriend’s loaded gun inside their Northern California apartment and inadvertently pulled the trigger, in what police called a “preventable” tragedy. Said.

Andrew Sanchez, 18, was arrested after the boy grabbed his unsecured handgun left in the couple’s bedroom Friday evening while the couple was resting in bed and fired a fatal shot at Jessinya Mina’s upper body. Attacked. According to the Fresno Police Department.

Meena, who is also the mother of an 8-month-old daughter, was taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, where she died.

“This is very tragic, and a very preventable and avoidable incident. He discharged that firearm in an area that was accessible to a two-and-a-half-year-old child at that location,” Lt. Paul Cervantes. Said at a press conference on Monday.

“The Fresno Police Department is deeply saddened by this type of tragedy that is devastating and certainly a stark reminder of the importance and importance of being able to properly store your weapon and doing so in a way that children do not have access to it.” Can’t reach.”

Police arrived at the Butterfly Grove apartment complex around 5:40 p.m. and found Sanchez attempting to take the young mother to the hospital, police said. First responders began life-saving measures before taking him to a medical center, where he later died.

Cervantes said a 9mm gun was located at the scene and was confiscated, adding that the gun had no external safety feature.

Sanchez, who has no criminal history, was immediately taken into custody and charged with criminal storage of a firearm and child endangerment, both felonies.

“As you can imagine, it’s difficult because we’re having to grapple with the idea that it’s even conceivable that a two-and-a-half-year-old child would have enough strength to fire a gun,” Cervantes said.

Jessica Rodriguez, the victim’s older sister, described Mina as a beautiful soul who was in the process of going back to cosmetology school. She said her sister’s boyfriend ignored her slain mother’s repeated pleas to remove the gun from the house.

“She was beautiful and funny and could bring a smile to anyone’s face, anyone who knew her was truly blessed by her presence. Now because of her boyfriend’s negligence, his arrogance, his disregard for responsibility and my sister’s wish to never have a gun in her home, she is gone forever,” Rodriguez said in a statement to KFSN.

“My nieces and nephews will have to live with the memories and stories of my sister rather than her presence. Because of his carelessness we will never be able to see our sister accomplish her lifelong goals and achievements. “My sister didn’t deserve this.”

Rodriguez also launched a GoFundMe to raise money to support his family.

Sanchez was booked into the Fresno County Jail and has since been posted on bail, police said.

Investigation is ongoing.