A Missouri woman has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the accidental shooting of her 5-year-old son after he and his 7- and 3-year-old siblings were left home alone with two loaded guns out in the open.

Bobbie Jo Scott, of Hartville, was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child in the shooting of Timothy Deatherage.

Prosecutors say Scott and her boyfriend, Cory Gass, asked a neighbour to check on Timothy and his siblings in July while they went to pick up a paycheck.

The children were left alone with a loaded 12-guage shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle.

Wright Co. Sheriff Glenn Adler says the 7-year-old was handling the shotgun when it went off.

Gass is set to appear in court January 25.

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