Child dead; man charged

Posted 5/19/21

A four-year-old boy fatally shot himself after finding a loaded handgun under a couch. 

Franklin County Steve Pelton says his department received an early morning 911 call Thursday, May 13, …

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Child dead; man charged

Posted

A four-year-old boy fatally shot himself after finding a loaded handgun under a couch. 

Franklin County Steve Pelton says his department received an early morning 911 call Thursday, May 13, reporting the shooting in the 700 block of Star Circle Trailer Park in Union. 

Deputies arrived to find family members administering first aid to the child. 

The child’s father, Scott E. Hilton Jr., 34, says he was asleep in the living room with a loaded handgun within his reach under the couch. The child came in and asked for a drink. The father left the room, then heard a gunshot behind him.

The child was transported by ambulance to Mercy Washington were he was pronounced dead. 

Hilton was initially arrested for endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of a firearm. A warrant was later issued against Hilton adding the charge of Murder second degree - during perpetration of a felony a person dies.

Bond was set at $250,000 cash only. 

Hilton was transported to the Franklin County Adult Detention facility where he remains.