WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A woman is in custody after deputies said a 6-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the leg inside a Winter Haven home she was supervising on Friday, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
Deputies said the incident happened at a residence on Bishop James Cochran Way. Investigators learned Nicole Felippe, 39, was the only adult home when she heard a “pop” after exiting the shower. She told deputies she found the child bleeding, wrapped him up, and took him to Winter Haven Hospital without calling 911, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The boy’s father told PCSO he was running errands when Felippe called him, and when he returned home he saw blood throughout the home and an unfamiliar handgun on the floor. He placed the firearm on a shelf before driving the child to the hospital with Felippe, the affidavit said.
Deputies said the child told hospital staff he found a gun and accidentally fired it, hitting himself in the right leg. Doctors said the wound caused a tibia fracture, with the round entering through his thigh and exiting through his shin.
According to PCSO, Felippe refused to consent to a search of the home, so deputies obtained a search warrant. While searching for the firearm, deputies found marijuana, a scale, a glass pipe and other drug paraphernalia in plain view in Felippe’s bedroom. Tests confirmed the presence of THC above the 0.3 percent threshold, per the affidavit.
Felippe faces charges of:
- Neglect of a child with great bodily harm (culpable negligence)
- Possession of cannabis under 20 grams
- Possession/use of drug paraphernalia
PCSO said Felippe’s criminal history includes arrests for marijuana possession, disorderly conduct, battery, failure to appear and violation of probation.
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