Washington mom Samantha Allen trusted her best friend to babysit her 1-year-old daughter, Alianah Beam, over the weekend.
Now, she’s devastated after an accidental shooting landed her child and friend in the hospital, according to KIRO.
It started on Saturday when the mom went to work and left her child with the babysitter. While she was gone, her friend attended a party in rural Olympus with the 1-year-old.
Several adults were drinking and smoking at the party and at least one person did ecstasy, according to police.
Allen’s 40-year-old neighbor brought a loaded 9 mm handgun to the party, which got into the hands of a 21-year-old Stetson Michael Bird when the owner passed it off so he could show off a tattoo.
When the gun owner left the party, Bird started showing the babysitter how the gun worked, Fox 29 reports.
The mom said he was “was cocking it and stuff and playing with it and pointing it at them.” That’s when the weapon fired, hitting the baby’s leg and the babysitter.
Both were rushed to separate hospitals and are expected to recover, but Allen is upset about the incident. She told KIRO:
“You should know better not to point a gun, a real gun, at a woman and a child. I feel like a horrible mother.”
Allen is upset that the friend she trusted didn’t take proper care of her child, she added:
“I’m a mad at her because she, as my best friend, she should’ve protected her more – went upstairs, or whatever, put her to sleep; but she’s still a victim too. My daughter may never be able to walk the right way again.”
The mom said she hopes Bird gets jail time for shooting her daughter. He has been charged with gross misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge for the incident.
Allen also wants the gun owner, her neighbor, to face consequences. She said:
“Something needs to be done. If it doesn’t, it’s going to keep happening and somebody else’s baby might actually die from it and I don’t want that.”
The gun owner isn’t currently facing charges. Police said handing a weapon to someone without a license isn’t illegal but is “dumb.”