Mom Of 5 Accidentally Shot Dead By Child Who Found Loaded Gun In Her Purse

A North Carolina mother was "inadvertently" shot dead Monday after one of her five children found a loaded gun in her purse, police said.

Cornelius Police Department said, Gabriel Alexis Henderson, 25, was alone in her apartment with her five children when she and her youngest kid were shot. However, authorities refused to clarify who pulled the trigger and the circumstances surrounding it, ABC News reported.

Officers arrived at the scene after they got a call at 6:55 p.m. regarding a shooting at Cornelius Village Apartments on Meridian Street off Catawba Avenue. On arrival, they found Henderson in the back bedroom of her apartment and a small semi-automatic handgun beside her. She was declared dead on the spot.

The youngest child, who also suffered a gunshot, was rushed to Atrium Main in Charlotte and is expected to survive.

The witnesses were interviewed and the police determined that Henderson was alone in the room with four of her kids at the time of the shooting. The oldest child was in the living room when the shots were fired and did not witness the incident.

Police did not release the children's ages or names as the case involves juveniles.

According to neighbors, Henderson was a loving mother who always looked out for all the children in the community.

“She was awesome, she was helpful to everybody. She helped me a lot because I have children so she always looked out for my kids when I needed her when I was working,” a resident said.

Meanwhile, the police said, it is important to be a good gun owner.

“We know that children are going to look at a gun and not be able to tell if it’s real or safe,” Capt. Jennifer Thompson said.

He said gun owners in Cornelius can reach out to the police department to obtain a gun lock.

“Patrol officers can come by and show you how to use the gun lock and be a good, safe gun owner,” he added.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign has been created in Henderson's honor to raise money for funeral costs and financial support for her children. As of Wednesday, it has raised $3,443 toward its $10,000 goal.