A 2-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his father in North Carolina.
The shooting occurred Sunday, according to WNCT 9, a local news broadcaster.
Markovia Durham, 29, was found dead by police officers on Sunday after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
The man's great-grandmother, Phyllis Holland, described the scene.
“The daddy was sitting on the couch,” she said. “And the baby got up on the couch and picked the gun up from behind the daddy. Picked the gun up not knowing it was a real gun, and put it to the daddy’s back and pulled the trigger thinking the gun was a toy.”
Ms Holland claimed that Mr Durham was usually more responsible with his gun.
"He keeps the gun away," she said. "He kept the gun away from him. At that moment, he just wasn't thinking."
She said Mr Durham had recently purchased the gun.
A neighbor lamented that the child would have to grow up with the trauma from the incident.
"I just hate it for that child because his life is messed up because, you know, it was his daddy," Tasha Phillips said. "And if he did that, that little boy is going to go through something for the rest of his life and it just hurts me because I have grandkids of my own."
According to the family, the toddler is not fully aware of what happened. Ms Holland said that they have been trying to help the child - who has been asking for his father - to understand what happened.
"He want his dada," she said. "He's only a 2-year-old. He don't understand."
No charges have been filed related to the incident, though that is subject to change. On Monday, Department of Social Services workers visited the family and conducted interviews with those staying in the home.
