Police investigating after 4-year-old accidentally fires gun, shooting mother in Upper Darby

A 4-year-old in Delaware County accidentally fired a gun and shot his mother on Friday, according to police.

It happened around 11 a.m. in the 200 block of Burmont Road in Upper Darby.

Police tell us the child found a loaded gun in the home and was playing with it. His mother was in bed, and at some point, that's when the gun went off.

The bullet struck the woman in the thigh. The child's hands were left burned by the gun.

Police are trying to find out how the child was able to get ahold of the weapon.

People who live in the area were upset to hear about the shooting and wondered why a loaded gun was accessible to a child and not locked away.

A man who lives in the home didn't want to talk to us on camera but said he has other kids in the home and is embarrassed by what happened.

Children and Youth Services was called in to investigate the circumstances surrounding what happened.

Both the mother and child were taken to the hospital and expected to recover.

No charges have been filed at this time.

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