A 2-year-old boy was shot in the head Sunday after he and another child found an unsecured, loaded gun near a Columbia, Kentucky, home.

The 2-year-old and a 5-year-old boy found a semi-automatic pistol in an unlocked truck near a home, according to an Adair County Sheriff's Office news release.

Shortly after finding the unsecured gun, "the gun discharged by accident" and struck the child in the head, the release adds.

The toddler was taken that afternoon from a local hospital to Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville, where he's in stable condition.

Authorities continue to investigate the case.

Reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at 502-582-4989 or mglowicki@courier-journal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/mattg.

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