LEWIS COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A young child is in critical condition after accidentally shooting himself at his home in Lewis County on February 17, 2025. Authorities are investigating the unsafe living conditions and potential child neglect linked to the incident.
Incident Overview
At approximately 10:05 a.m., Upshur County 911 received a call about a self-inflicted gunshot wound involving a child in a vehicle. Emergency responders were dispatched to a crash scene at the intersection of Buckhannon Mountain Road and Broken Mountain Road, where a vehicle had struck a guardrail.
Upon investigation, officers determined that the shooting occurred at the child’s residence in Lewis County, and the child was being transported to the hospital when the crash occurred.
Details of the Shooting
Authorities spoke with the child’s mother, Corinda Heater, who stated she had gone to the bathroom when her son, identified as C.H., entered her bedroom, climbed on a dryer, and accessed a loaded revolver stored on a nearby shelf. Heater heard a gunshot and found C.H. lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head.
She told officers that she did not touch the firearm but handed the injured child to his father, Caleb Heckert, who rushed him to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon, WV.
Unsafe Living Conditions Discovered
Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence at 1463 Buckhannon Run Road, where they discovered extremely hazardous living conditions, including:
- Trash, clothing, and debris piled throughout the home, making some rooms inaccessible.
- Rusty tools, knives, and an exposed pilot light heater creating dangerous fire and safety hazards.
- Animal feces and spoiled food present in multiple areas.
- A gun cabinet left unlocked, containing several rifles, shotguns, and a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun.
- C.H.’s bedroom was inaccessible, with no mattress on the bedframe and the floor covered in dirty bedding, clothing, and trash.
During questioning, Heater admitted she may have left the revolver on the dryer, where it was easily accessible to the child. She also acknowledged that C.H. had accessed the firearm’s usual storage location before.
Medical Emergency and Current Condition
Due to the severity of C.H.’s injuries, he was transported from St. Joseph’s Hospital to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, WV, where he underwent emergency surgery. He remains in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the right orbital area, which exited the back of his skull.
