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Toddler Kills Self With Gun She Mistook for Wii Gadget

Girl, 3, drops dead as mom works nearby on computer

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 10, 2010 2:10 AM CST | Updated Mar 10, 2010 5:29 AM CST

(Newser) – A 3-year-old Tennessee girl fatally shot herself in the chest with a gun she apparently mistook for a Wii gadget. The tragedy occurred as Cheyenne McKeehan picked up a loaded pistol left out by her stepfather that looked strikingly similar to a toy-gun Wii controller the girl had recently learned how to use. Her stepfather left the real gun on a table after checking for a prowler the night before, reports the Telegraph. The toddler shot herself as her mom worked on a computer nearby and her baby brother played on the floor.

"If you have a live handgun and a toy that looks the same—for parents some bells and whistles need to go off," said local Sheriff Terry Ashe. "You can see by the comparison of the toy weapon and the real weapon that there's little chance a 3-year-old would differentiate between the two." Police are still investigating and charges may be filed. Click here to read about another odd and heartbreaking crime.

Which is a Wii controller and which is a gun? Authorities believe a Tennessee toddler mixed up the two when she fatally shot herself in the chest.
Which is a Wii controller and which is a gun? Authorities believe a Tennessee toddler mixed up the two when she fatally shot herself in the chest.
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 206 comments
garfieldlogan
Apr 29, 2011 11:51 AM CDT
This is so sad. I can't believe that they were using a wii gun that looked like that. There's a reason that Nintendo uses the white color scheme for things like that. It's not supposed to look realistic like that.
cccc0
Mar 12, 2010 12:41 PM CST
I can't believe you Yanks still allow morons to own guns.
thejoint00
Mar 12, 2010 12:09 AM CST
whether you believe in owning real guns or not, toys, althouth they have thier place, should be monitered more carefully. In this case I think the child would have been more likely to shoot out the TV if she had been taught how to use the toy properly.

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