MARIETTA, GA- A horrific accident took place on Tuesday when a toddler accidentally shot himself in the head after gaining access to a firearm that belonged to his father. The one-year-old boy, identified as Royal Clark in court documents, succumbed to his injuries at Kennestone Hospital despite the best efforts of emergency personnel.
The incident occurred in an apartment on White Circle, off North Cobb Parkway in Marietta. Officers from the Cobb County Police Department responded to the scene around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, where they discovered the critically injured child suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to court records, the shooting took place between 1:07 p.m. and 1:10 p.m. The firearm was allegedly left unsecured and within reach of the toddler, who was nearing his second birthday.
Conrad Carrington Clark is now facing multiple charges in connection with the deadly incident. The charges against Clark in relation to the 1-year-old’s death include involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct. The court documents suggest that Clarkâs negligence in leaving a loaded firearm accessible to the child led to the fatal accident. The toddler managed to discharge the firearm, causing his own fatal injury.
This is not the only criminal incident that the child’s father has been involved in. In addition to the charges related to the shooting incident, Clark has a previous conviction that he received in Fayette County in 2016 in which he was accused of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. This adds to the gravity of the charges he is currently facing.