GUILTY: Grandmother of four-year-old boy who shot himself in the head reaches a plea deal

MILWAUKEE COUNTY (WITI) -- Accused of leaving a loaded gun within the reach of a child, the grandmother of a four-year-old boy who shot himself in the head has reached a plea deal in the case against her.

49-year-old Renee Smith of Milwaukee faces a felony count of second degree recklessly endangering safety.

In court on Tuesday, November 4th, Smith pleaded guilty to that charge.

Prosecutors say Smith’s grandson accidentally shot himself near 45th & Locust back on March 19th.

A criminal complaint against her says Smith had the gun in a shoebox underneath a bed in a bedroom where the four-year-old boy and other children were playing on the night of the shooting. The boy, named Keyontist, was seriously injured.

The criminal complaint indicates the boy had a bullet hole in his forehead.
He was breathing and his eyes were slightly open, but an officer could not find a pulse and started chest compressions on the boy until the Milwaukee Fire Department arrived on scene and took over. The boy was transported to Children’s Hospital by ambulance.

Smith identified the shooting victim as her grandson, for whom she was responsible for providing care at the time of the shooting.

Smith will be sentenced on December 23rd.

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