Dad throws gun in creek after toddler shoots and kills himself, Indiana cops say

A 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself with a gun he found under couch cushions in an Indiana home, authorities say.

The victim’s father, 30-year-old Jovontae Carter, said the gun was his and he had stored it beneath the cushions, the Evansville Police Department said of the June 7 incident.

Police said when the boy got ahold of the gun, his mother tried to grab it from him, but it discharged, according to WFIE.

He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officers said.

The 911 caller said the boy’s father had “picked the gun up off the floor and left,” WEHT reported.

Authorities began searching for Carter, who had left the home “carrying something in his hands,” according to police.

When they found him, he was in possession of a handgun magazine, but the gun was not with him, police said.

“During an interview with detectives, Carter admitted that the gun used was his and that he threw it in the creek because he did not want to see it again,” officers said in the news release.

Police said the gun was later discovered.

Carter was charged with neglect of a dependent causing death, unlawful carrying of a handgun by a felon and possession of marijuana, according to police.

Evansville is about a 175-mile drive southwest from Indianapolis.

This story was originally published June 9, 2025 at 11:10 AM with the headline "Dad throws gun in creek after toddler shoots and kills himself, Indiana cops say."