Michigan Mom’s Gun Storage Law Case Dismissed: Teen Son Shot Himself While Protecting Dogs
This article was originally published from Saginaw and Bay City News’ author Cole Waterman.
SAGINAW, MI — A Michigan mother is no longer facing a criminal charge that stemmed from her 13-year-old son accidentally shooting himself while trying to protect his dogs from coyotes.
Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Shellbe A. Sanborn on Friday, March 28, filed paperwork saying she intends to dismiss the case brought against Rachel M. Esckelson, 44.
Prosecutors in late February charged Esckelson with firearms-safe storage violation with a minor present resulting in serious bodily impairment, a 10-year felony. Sanborn reduced that to a five-year charge after a preliminary examination established Esckelson’s son was not permanently maimed.
Sanborn made her decision in response to a brief written by defense attorney Alan A. Crawford.
Crawford argued lawmakers’ intent was to prevent minors from being able to easily access guns with which they could carry out mass shootings. This does not apply to Esckelson’s situation, as her guns were properly locked, her minor son did not have direct access to them, and another adult — the teen’s sister — opened the safe, Crawford argued.
The prosecution misinterpreted the statute’s intended purpose and Esckelson should never have been charged, Crawford wrote.
“There is nothing more horrifying than being charged with a criminal offense,” Crawford said after the prosecution dismissed the case. “This was an unfortunate set of circumstances that were then compounded by the issuance of a baseless criminal charge.”
