An Indiana mother is now facing criminal charges after her two-year-old son found her gun in her purse and shot himself in the head.
Keiara Bickett, 28, has been charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death related to the June 19 incident. Bickett also might lose custody of her 9-year-old daughter, WTHR-13 reported.
The incident happened in the parking lot of a CVS Pharmacy at around 3:30 p.m. WTHR-13 reported that the two-year-old was in a car seat, but not belted in. After realizing the drive-thru of the CVS was closed, Bickett planned to go inside but first stopped to text a friend.
At some point, her son had gotten out of the car seat in the back and gotten into the front near his sister. The station reported that Bickett told police that as she parked, she heard a gunshot and saw the two-year-old child fall.
PEOPLE reported that Bickett told police that she although she kept the gun in her purse, she usually kept it zipped, but "did not think that was the case" the day of the shooting.
"Until our state requires basic licensing and training for gun owners, families will remain at risk," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told PEOPLE. "Safe storage and responsible gun ownership are not optional — it's a matter of life and death."
At a Sept. 5 hearing, a judge ruled that Bickett should have no contact with the 9-year-old, WTHR-13 reported. The girl's grandmother is taking care of her until at least Sept. 22 when a judge will review the no-contact order and consider information from the Indiana Department of Child Services.
A GoFundMe has been set up in support of Bickett. As of Tuesday, the fund had raised $6,680.
"Recently, a strong and devoted mother faced the unimaginable—she lost her beautiful 2-year-old son. Her world was shattered, and while grieving this devastating loss, she is now facing another heartbreaking battle: the prosecutor is attempting to take away her 9 year-old daughter, the only child she has left," the page states.
"This mother has always been a caring and loving parent. Her daughter means everything to her, and despite her grief, she is fighting with all her strength to keep her family together. What she needs most right now is support—emotional, legal, and financial," the page states.
