Florida Man Charged in Child's Self-Inflicted Shooting Death

Jaleel Taylor

Local news reports

A toddler playing alone in a Frenchtown home accidentally shot himself in the face Dec. 29 and now his uncle is facing charges in his death.

The child and his mother were at his maternal grandmother's home in the 800 block of Dover Street visiting with family when the incident occurred, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Jaleel Taylor, 20, was outside when he heard the sound a gunshot from inside the house, according to court documents. He went back inside and found his nephew, 3-year-old Raymond Gaines Jr., on the floor with a gunshot wound, court documents said.

Tallahassee Police Department officers arrived and found Gaines lying on the floor in Taylor's bedroom with a gunshot wound to the face and another injury to the back of his head. An autopsy determined the child died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Taylor told officers the gun was his and that he normally kept it in a box. Officers found his silver .380 semi-automatic gun with the serial number removed in a shoebox, court documents said.

The grandmother said she no knowledge the gun was in the house, according to a DCF incident report.

Police searched the home and found 233 grams of marijuana as well. Taylor turned himself in at the Leon County Jail on Wednesday night on charges of culpable negligence, possession of a firearm by a delinquent and possession of a firearm with the serial number removed.

How in the world was this guy not arrested on the spot? He had to turn himself in 10 days later?