Grandmother and father face charges after three-year-old shoots herself in the leg

Two family members in Philadelphia are facing charges after a three-year-old girl shot herself in the leg with her father's loaded gun, authorities said. Barbara McGill and Terrance Williams are both facing charges after police say the child was able to access the firearm and shoot herself in the thigh.

Philadelphia Police Department said in an email to IBTimes UK that the incident occured on Sunday 26 November. Police said that the girl's father, Terrance Williams, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.

Her 64-year-old grandmother, Barbara McGill, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence.

Other reports said that McGill faced the third charge because authorities say she attempted to hide the firearm.

According to ABC6, authorities said the bullet entered the child's thigh and exited through her calf. She is currently undergoing surgery at a local children's hospital in the hopes that her leg can be saved.

The report said that the father legally owned the firearm. Authorities said that as he left for work, Williams asked McGill to secure his gun and take care of his daughter.

Lt. John Walker said that McGill put the gun into a holster without a lock in a closet, according to ABC6. "We think she falls asleep, but the child gets a hold of this gun and is able to pull the trigger," he added. Police said that when first responders arrived they were not told by people in the home that the injury was a gunshot wound or that a firearm was present in the house.