4-year-old girl died after she took the gun a 22-year-old man left improperly stored inside the home and shot herself in the head; 22-year-old man arrested
Michigan – In a horrific incident in Michigan, a 22-year-old man, identified as M. Pendergrass, is facing serious criminal charges after a 4-year-old girl died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a heartbreaking incident that authorities say could have been entirely prevented. Pendergrass was arrested in connection with the young child’s death, which occurred on January 21 inside a home.
Pendergrass, who has a previous felony conviction, was not legally allowed to possess a firearm. Despite this, prosecutors say he kept a gun inside the home — one that was not secured or properly stored. The child was able to access the weapon, leading to fatal consequences.
Following the tragedy, the prosecutor’s office charged Pendergrass with six felony firearm-related offenses, including two violations of Michigan’s safe storage laws. He was booked by the police department and is currently being held on a $1 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 6. Prosecutor J. Dewane expressed deep frustration over the preventable nature of the child’s death. He stated, “This would not have occurred had the firearm been safely stored as required by Michigan law, using a gun lock or gun safe. One life lost is one too many.” His office emphasized that these charges are part of a broader commitment to ensuring children’s safety in homes where firearms are present.
Emergency crews were dispatched around 11:40 a.m. on January 21 to a home. When officers arrived, they discovered a 4-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to the head. Despite rapid efforts to save her, the child was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released the girl’s name, and the nature of her relationship to Pendergrass has not been disclosed publicly. However, officials confirmed that the child accessed the weapon after it was left improperly stored inside the home. As the community reels from the loss, investigators continue to piece together the full sequence of events. Police have encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
News of the child’s death has shaken residents in the apartment complex where the shooting occurred. The case has also reignited discussions around gun safety laws and the consequences of leaving firearms accessible to children. Under Michigan’s newly strengthened safe storage laws, gun owners are required to lock up firearms when minors are present in the home — a regulation that prosecutors say was blatantly ignored in this case.
While the criminal proceedings are ongoing and no sentence has yet been imposed, Pendergrass could face a lengthy prison term if convicted on all counts. Authorities are expected to rely heavily on forensic evidence, firearm ownership restrictions, and safe storage violations as they move forward with the prosecution. This devastating case serves as a grim reminder of the risks of unsecured firearms — and the irreversible cost of even a single moment of carelessness. A child’s life was lost, and a community mourns, all because a weapon meant to be controlled was left within reach of the most vulnerable.
