13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Coroner says two-year-old Indiana girl shot herself

Coroner says two-year-old Indiana girl shot herself

Elizabeth Donatelli/WAVE

Crawford County - A two-year-old southern Indiana toddler shot herself to death after finding a loaded gun. It happened at a home in Milltown in Crawford County.

Police are trained to respond to shootings, but that can never prepare them to respond to a house belonging to one of their own.

"Everyone on the department knows Jared and is friends with Jared. Jared is a reserve deputy," said Sheriff Tim Wilkerson, Crawford County Sheriff's Department.

That man is Jared Conrad. He was a deputy on the Crawford County Sheriff's Department for a little over a year. He now volunteers his time. On Monday night, police were called to his home on Speed Road in Milltown, Indiana.

"The mother, the stepfather and child were all in the same room. Just in a split second is my understanding, the gun went off and the child possibly picked it up," said Wilkerson.

The shot killed two-year-old Alexis Camp, who is Conrad's stepdaughter. The deputy coroner says an autopsy performed Tuesday confirms the girl died from and accidental gunshot wound to the head.

Indiana State police are handling the investigation. They say a semi-automatic handgun was within the child's reach. The Crawford County sheriff says the gun could be the one Conrad uses when on duty. Right now, no charges have been filed against Conrad.

"Jared does a good job. He's a good kid. To me he's a kid. He's the age of my kids. He went to school with my kids. I know he's devastated," said Deputy Debra Young, Crawford County Sheriff's Department.

The Crawford County prosecutor will review the case once police complete their investigation.

"It's an accident. Again, I encourage everyone to come in and get a gun lock. It could be your child that's saved if you do have a gun lock," said the sheriff.

The sheriff said he spoke with Conrad after the shooting and he is devastated. The irony in all of this is the department does offer free guns locks and has distributed thousands over the years.