BEECH GROVE — A 45-year-old man has been arrested and faces neglect charges after a 4-year-old boy wearing only a diaper was seen on television wielding a handgun.
The toddler can be seen in video walking around outside apartments in Beech Grove with the gun. The clip, which was recorded Saturday afternoon, was shown on REELZ show "On Patrol: Live" which airs Friday and Saturday nights.
Shane Osborne is charged with dangerous control of a firearm (providing a firearm to a child) and two counts of neglect of a dependent.
According to a police report, the 9 milli-meter handgun contained 15 rounds of ammunition.
The video below was shared by the Beech Grove Police Department and comes from a surveillance camera of a neighbor in the same apartment complex.
Court documents say the young boy opened the door to the apartment when officers arrived. Officers made multiple announcements but did not see any adults in the apartment nor did they hear a response.
Eventually, Osborne walked into the hallway and told police he didn't know his son had left the apartment and was unaware of a gun being in the home.
According to court documents, the father, a convicted felon, stated that the gun belonged to a cousin and the gun is occasionally left at his apartment when the cousin feels "mentally unstable."
"Far too often we see cases involving small children having access to firearms. Too many children in our community are placed at risk as a result of irresponsible gun ownership. The alleged conduct is an egregious example of the importance of practicing safe storage," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement Wednesday.
Osborne pled not guilty during a Thursday hearing, online court records show. His bond is set at $60,000 surety. A jury trial is scheduled for March 20.
Beech Grove Mayor Dennis Buckley released the following statement after seeing the footage himself:
I received notification from our Police Chief soon after this incident took place.
As with all of you, I'm mortified and what took place and I'm so thankful that no one was hurt, especially the young child.
I appreciate the quick action taken by the Beech Grove Police Department to secure the small child and the gun in question.
I ask that the Marion County Prosecutor's Office work tirelessly to secure charges and a conviction against the responsible parties, with maximum penalties.
Society shouldn't accept anything less.
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