VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) — A mother has been arrested and a 9-year-old is facing charges after a 10-year-old boy was shot in the face while two children were reportedly playing with a gun inside a Valdosta apartment.

The shooting happened around 5 p.m. on Sept. 7 at Brittany Woods Apartments, located at 1150 Old Statenville Road.

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According to the Valdosta Police Department (VPD), officers arrived and found the 10-year-old with an apparent injury to his face. Valdosta firefighters and South Georgia Medical Center EMS provided first aid before the child was taken to the hospital.

Investigators reportedly spoke with a 9-year-old boy at the apartment, who told officers he and the victim were playing with a gun when it discharged.

The mother of the 10-year-old denied that her child was playing with the gun.

“[The 10-year-old] was like, ‘Mom, I told him to stop pointing the gun at me numerous of times, and he didn’t,’” she said.

Police said detectives obtained arrest warrants on Sept. 9 for 46-year-old Andrea McClendon, the mother of the 9-year-old and the owner of the firearm.

McClendon is charged with second-degree cruelty to children and reckless conduct. Police said she turned herself in at the Lowndes County Jail on Sept. 14.

Through the Department of Juvenile Justice, detectives also charged the 9-year-old with reckless conduct and possession of a firearm by a minor.

The 10-year-old remains stable and is continuing to receive treatment, according to police.

The shooting previously raised concerns about firearm safety and how children can gain access to unsecured guns. Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan previously described the incident as preventable and urged gun owners to make sure firearms are properly secured and inaccessible to children.

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