Pregnant mum in US dies after 2-year-old son shoots her by accident
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A pregnant mother and her unborn baby in the American state of Ohio died after her 2-year-old son accidentally shot her earlier in June.
On June 16, Ms Laura Ilg, 31, called the police saying that her son had accidentally got hold of a gun and shot her in the back, said local media.
Officers kicked the door in to enter her home and reportedly found Ms Ilg and her son in the bedroom and a 9mm handgun next to her.
Ms Ilg told the police that there were safety measures in place in the home, according to local media. But, she was not aware that her son had picked up the gun while she was doing laundry.
Ms Ilg called her husband Alex Ilg, but he did not respond as he was at work, said Norwalk police chief David Smith in local media reports.
She was in great pain and conscious, added Mr Smith.
Ms Ilg was then sent to Fisher-Titus Medical Centre for medical attention. Her unborn baby died about an hour later, said the USA Today report. Ms Ilg died from her injuries later that day.
The baby would have been Ms Ilg’s second child, said Mr Smith.
Mr Smith reportedly said that the police are investigating the functionality of the gun, particularly how the 2-year-old boy was able to pull the trigger.
“The Norwalk Police Department offers our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and all those affected by the tragic passing of the young mother and her unborn son,” said the department in a statement.
“Words truly cannot express how heartbreaking this is, and we cannot imagine the pain and heartache you’re feeling.”
The boy is currently in the custody of his father.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr Ilg said: “If you haven’t heard, Laura and our unborn son Talisen passed away (on) Friday. There are no words for the pain and loss I feel. She was, is, and will always be, the love of my life.”
