Dad charged after 7-year-old son fires gun during weekend visitation (Edwardsville, Illinois)

Dad EDWARD P. CRAIN has been charged with child endangerment after his 7-year-old son found a gun and fired it--all while Daddy was asleep in another room. All this took place during Daddy's weekend visitation--guess Daddy isn't used to the notion of supervision or locking up your guns or any of that.

http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/crain-42489-charged-father.html

NEW: Father charged after son, 7, fires gun
July 12, 2010 3:11 PM

EDWARDSVILLE - Authorities have charged a man whose 7-year-old son allegedly fired a handgun into a mattress while his father was asleep in another room.

Charged with a misdemeanor count of endangering the life of a child is Edward P. Crain, 30, of the 400 block of Elizabeth Court in Godfrey.

Lt. Gary Burns said deputies responded Sunday to a residence in the 2100 block of Amos in Granite City to talk to the mother of the child, Jennifer L. Crain, who said her son told her of the gun incident, which occurred during a weekend visitation with his father, Edward Crain.

Burns said the child was able to access a loaded 9mm handgun from Crain's night stand while Crain was asleep in another room. The boy took the gun to his bedroom and fired it into a mattress.

No one was injured and Crain was able to get the gun back from his son and secure it, he said.

Deputies arrested Crain at his home and seized the handgun. Crain was arrested and the handgun used along with another handgun was taken as evidence, a report said.

Crain was taken to the Madison County Jail where he later posted bond for the Class A Misdemeanor charge.