Mom Charged After Son, 3, Fires Gun At Firehouse

SEAFORD, Del. (CBS 3) - An 18-year-old Delaware mother is facing charges after police say her three-year-old child allegedly got a hold of a shotgun and fired two shots at a volunteer firehouse.

The incident happened at about 2:10 p.m. Wednesday in the 200 block of Cannon Street in Seaford.

According to investigators, police responded to the Seaford Volunteer Fire Department after a report that the building was fired upon. Police found two bullet holes in a roll-up door of the firehouse.

Following an investigation, it was determined that a three-year-old boy on the porch of a nearby residence had obtained an unsecured loaded .410 shotgun from inside the residence. Police said the young child fired two shots at the building.

Christy Smullen, the mother of the child, was taken into custody.

The shotgun was also recovered from the residence and found to have been loaded with .38 caliber ammunition.

Detectives executed a search of the home and found additional ammunition and a BB gun.

Smullen is facing charges of Tampering with Physical Evidence, Reckless Endangering, Possession of a Firearm by Person Prohibited, Endangering the Welfare of a Child and other related offenses.

Smullen was released on $8,000 unsecured bail.

The child has been placed in the custody of his father.