Grayslake man facing charges after 2-year-old girl shot in Vernon Hills, police say
A 19-year-old man is accused of endangering the life of a child after his girlfriend’s 2-year-old niece was seriously injured by a loaded pistol that was left on a bed, according to Vernon Hills Police Department officials.
Joseph Hatchett, 19, of Grayslake, was charged with of reckless conduct, a felony, and misdemeanor child endangerment. He was helping his 17-year-old girlfriend care for the girl and her two siblings, ages 3 and 6, when the shooting happened around 2:15 p.m. Friday at a home in the 300 block of Plumwood Lane in Vernon Hills, police said.
Police said officers initially responded to a report of a child injured by fireworks, but an investigation revealed a loaded, semi-automatic pistol that discharged and shot the 2-year-old in her left arm. Police said it is unknown how the gun was fired, but they believe the shooting to be unintentional.
Additional charges are pending.
The girl was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville before she was flown to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for specialized care. Police said her injuries are serious but not life-threatening. She remains hospitalized, according to police, and her siblings have been removed from the home with further investigation by the Department of Children and Family Services pending.