Aunt arrested after 4-year-old finds gun, shoots herself in the hand

SLIDELL - A woman was arrested Monday after her 4-year-old niece shot and wounded herself while in her care.

According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, 25-year-old Fredrica Lee was supposed to be caring for the girl when the incident happened. Lee said she was inside the home when she heard a gunshot come from the den. There she found the girl with an apparent gunshot wound to her hand.

She later told deputies the 4-year-old had retrieved the gun from a cabinet and fired it, hitting herself in the hand. Investigators determined two guns were kept loaded inside the cabinet, which was within easy reach of the child.

Deputies say Lee did not call 911 but instead drove the girl to the hospital herself.

Lee was arrested for one count of cruelty to juveniles and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail.

The child was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and has been released into the custody of her father.