Teen arrested on recklessness charge for shooting 5-year-old with BB gun
ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) — A 14-year-old boy who admitted to police he shot a 5-year-old in the head with a BB gun will face juvenile criminal charges Friday, police say.
The teen was being detained Thursday at the Madison County Youth Center prior to a Friday court hearing, said Anderson Police Department Maj. Joel Sandefur. The teen was preliminarily charged with theft, criminal recklessness and aggravated battery.
No information was immediately available from prosecutors on the case.
The 5-year-old boy, Bentley Chesnut, was treated at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health for the injuries received Friday. Dr. Andrea Scherer said Bentley could have bled to death if the BB moved 1 millimeter deeper. The BB remains lodged in Bentley’s brain.
Bentley’s mom, Natasha McAdams, said he was sitting on a golf cart with a few other family members, riding through their Anderson neighborhood around 10 p.m. June 2. The family didn’t see where the BB came from and, at first, they didn’t know what it was.
“All you heard was a pop. Sounded like a little firecracker,” McAdams said. “I kinda just looked around for a minute then Bentley just started screaming.”
Doctors expect Bentley to make a full recovery. He was in good spirits at the hospital Monday.