FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A 4-year-old boy is on the road to recovery after he shot himself in the foot near Fort Lauderdale, and now his mother is speaking out about the ordeal.
Speaking with 7News on Wednesday, Shania Walker said her son, Kareem Saintlius, is in pain at Broward Health Medical Center.
“The bullet went out, so it went through his foot and, I want to say, the bottom part close to his ankle, like toward the heel, he has like a gash in the middle,” she said. “It just happened so quickly.”
Video provided to 7News shows the boy in his hospital bed waving to the camera while drinking a soda.
Saintlius underwent surgery on his foot in the hours since the shooting and has another surgery scheduled for next week.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies said they responded to the area of the 600 block of Northwest 27th Avenue, Tuesday afternoon.
Detectives said the boy was visiting his aunt when he found the unsecured gun and shot himself in the foot.
Neighbor Lisa Jones provided some details about the incident.
“A little kid, 4 years old, was playing with a gun or got a hold of the gun and shot himself in the foot,” she said.
Paramedics quickly transported Saintilus to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Walker told 7News she was at work when she got the call.
“I’m thinking, ‘Everything is OK,’ and to get a phone call like that is heartbreaking because that’s my baby. I’m still in shock. I can’t believe it happened,” said Walker. “He’s like, ‘Mommy, I got shot in the foot, and it hurts really bad.'”
While she said she doesn’t know exactly what happened, Walker said she is angry and shocked that her son was able to get a hold of the gun in the first place.
“From my understanding, it was out, and he’s a baby, so babies are curious, and I’m just like, even if you have a firearm, don’t leave it out around kids, because kids are curious. The slightest thing they’ll touch,” said Walker.
Deputies are now reminding the community to properly secure their weapons.
Walker agrees with that.
“I want to say, just keep your firearms away from kids, keep a close eye on them, because the moment you leave your kids, you know, anything can happen,” she said.
Jones said there should be safety standards around guns in the household.
“Secure them and keep them out of reach of the minors and anyone that is capable of harming themselves,” she said. “Thank God that was only the foot. I hope he’s OK.”
Saintlius’ family said he will be OK.
Walker said that once the child heals, he’ll have to learn how to walk again on that foot.
The concerned mother added that she knows the gunshot could’ve been so much worse.
“He has to go through physical therapy, a lot of stuff. So, it’s going to be a lot. Me, as a mother, the situation that I’m going through right now, like, it’s not fun,” she said.
Saintlius is scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday, if it’s successful he’ll be released sometime next week. If not, they’ll have to do more procedures to fix his foot.
As of Wednesday night, deputies have not charged or arrested anyone in this case.
The boy’s family created a GoFundMe to help cover hospital bills. To donate, click here.
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