Baton Rouge mom arrested; 4-year-old boy who shot himself still in critical condition

Michael Scheidt
·2 min read

Editor’s note: The spelling of the mother’s name has been corrected. We apologize for the error.

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) —  The Baton Rouge Police Department arrested a mother on Wednesday, March 20, after her 4-year-old son shot himself with an unsecured handgun.

Arieana Scott, 22, was arrested later in the day and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, Charges include improper supervision of a minor by a parent, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies, possession with the intent to distribute Schedule 1 drugs, possession of a firearm in the presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance and possession of a machine gun.

According to BRPD, the boy remained in critical condition Wednesday night, and the investigation is ongoing.

Emergency responders were called to a shooting at a home in the 2200 block of 69th Avenue on around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 20. BRPD confirmed that a 4-year-old child was shot in the upper torso and the mother and another baby were in the house at the time.

“Mother was in a separate room, heard the gunshot and went and found the 4-year-old with the gunshot wound,” said Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse Jr. said in an interview at the scene.

Emergency medical service officials said a victim was taken to the hospital after getting a call at 9:30 a.m. Multiple Baton Rouge Police Department units were observed at the scene along with police tape.

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Police say the child was lying on a bed with a wound above the shoulder area when the emergency response arrived. Morse said they’re looking into how the boy got the weapon.

This picture shows police tape up at the scene of a shooting on 69th Ave.
Police tape is up at the scene of a shooting on 69th Ave. (Photo by Mike Thompson)

Police said Scott was detained at the Our Lady of the Lake and questioned about the shooting. The handgun had illegal modifications, according to BRPD.

“It had a conversion switch attached to it, which would make it an automatic weapon,” said Morse.

Louisiana law doesn’t require that handguns be secured in a home, but police say locking up a gun can be a lifesaver.

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“If the gun would have been in a safe or locked up someplace, things like that can be prevented,” said Morse.

Neighbors in the area, shocked about what happened, agreed.

Police said the Department of Children and Family Services reportedly has been notified.

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