Katlynn Briley Mahon, 33, of South Carolina, was arrested in Lakeland, Florida, after a 14-year-old boy in her care got access to a gun, which went off and struck him in the leg, while they were driving down Interstate 4. There were also two other kids in the car, ages 2 and 16. In a search of the car, cops found two guns, 32 grams of cocaine and 96 grams of marijuana, according to Lakeland police. (Lakeland Police Department)
A 33-year-old South Carolina woman was arrested in Florida after a 14-year-old boy in her care got ahold of a handgun and accidentally shot himself in the leg, according to police.
The woman, Katlynn Briley Mahon, was driving from Clearwater to Orlando Aug. 14 on Interstate 4 with three kids in the car when the 14-year-old was able to gain access to a loaded gun, which accidently went off and hit him in the right shin, Lakeland police said in a Facebook post. Mahon took the boy to a nearby urgent care for treatment. Staff at the urgent care called police, which responded to the scene.
Detectives later learned that the three kids in the car were ages 14, 16, and 2. Mahon is not their mother, but was entrusted with their care, police said. A search of the vehicle turned up two guns, 32 grams of cocaine and 96 grams of marijuana, according to police. Mahon admitted to police the guns and drugs were hers.
Both guns were easily accessible to the minors inside the car, cops say. The gun that wasn’t used in the shooting was loaded and located between the driver’s seat and center console, police said.
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Mahon, of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, which is near Charleston, is facing charges of trafficking in cocaine, possession of cannabis over 20 grams, culpable negligence inflecting actual harm, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The boy was taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment and was last listed in stable condition.
Mahon was taken to the Polk County Jail where she was released Thursday after paying a $52,500 bond. She was assigned a public defender and has a court date scheduled for Sept. 19, according to records.
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