LANSDOWNE, Md — Charging documents reveal what led to a child being injured in a shooting in Lansdowne.
It all began last Thursday, just before 3:30 p.m., in the unit block of Twin Circle Way.
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Police arrived at the home and found the victim, a 4-year-old girl, suffering from a gunshot to the left leg.
Officers questioned a witness who told police the mother and father were not home and she was babysitting the victim.
The father, identified as Darren Brown, had left minutes before the shooting and notably saw the victim walking upstairs, where his bedroom is located.
According to the witness, the victim would go into her parents' bedroom when they weren't home.
Things later took a drastic turn after the witness heard a loud noise and a scream.
The witness ran to the victim and discovered blood coming from her leg and a firearm lying next to her.
A neighbor came rushing to her aid after being flagged by the babysitter, who called the mother and yelled at her for leaving a gun so easily accessible.
The victim was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
While on the phone, the mother allegedly told her to hide the firearm before officers arrived. She refused the order and left the gun on the bed for the police.
Officers secured the scene but did not see the gun on the bed where it was supposed to be.
A quick canvass of the scene led police to cameras in the area, which revealed footage of a neighbor concealing an object and taking it to his car.
Officers went to the victim and asked him about the item he was removing from the home. He told police that he was instructed to remove the gun from the bedroom and hide it in his car. Police later found the weapon and a fired cartridge casing still inside.
Brown arrived at the scene and was arrested by police.
While being questioned, he told police he did not know about a handgun being in the home or how the victim shot herself.
Later in the interview, he claimed ownership of the weapon and he asked different people to hide the gun after the shooting. He also confessed to having narcotics in the home.
Records show Brown was on probation for possessing a firearm back in 2023.
Police obtained a search and seizure warrant for the home and discovered 9mm rounds, 1 clear bag with 4 bags with a large quantity of clear capsules containing a white powder substance, and 1 bag containing a chunky substance.
Tests revealed the chunky substance was consistent with crack cocaine and the white powder substance was consistent with heroin.
Brown was charged with reckless endangerment, neglect of a minor, and other firearms-related charges.
