Joliet man charged after girlfriend's child shoots self in face with unsecured gun

JOLIET, Ill. - A Joliet man has been arrested after a two-year-old boy shot himself in the face with an unsecured gun last week. 

At about 12:16 p.m. on Sept. 27, officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of Comstock Street for a report of a two-year-old boy who sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

When officers arrived, they located the boy inside the residence and began performing lifesaving measures prior to Joliet Fire Department paramedics arriving.

The boy was airlifted to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.

The child remains hospitalized, and medical staff says his condition has somewhat improved. 

While investigating, detectives determined that the child appeared to have shot himself in the face after accessing an unsecured and loaded gun in a bedroom at the residence, police said. 

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE

The mother was present at the home and caring for another child at the time of the incident.

Detectives eventually determined that Sensei Bennett, 26, was the owner of the unsecured handgun.

Bennett is the boyfriend of the child's mother.

Detectives also recovered suspected cannabis that appeared to be packaged for sale inside the residence, police said.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for Bennett on Sept. 30 on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, endangering the life or health of a child, reckless conduct, unlawful possession of cannabis and unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver. 

Bennett was taken into custody at a residence in Morris this week by members of the US Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

A judge set Bennett's bond at $200,000.