Columbus Mom Charged After Toddler’s Fatal Shooting
A heartbreaking tragedy has struck Columbus’s Southeast Side, where a 3-year-old boy lost his life after finding an unsecured gun inside his home.
Police say little Cartier Smith fatally shot himself after accessing a handgun that had been left within reach. His mother, Carley Dials, 29, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
According to investigators, Dials placed the weapon between the mattress and the wall before going to sleep. The next morning, Cartier entered the room, found the gun, and accidentally fired it. Despite being rushed to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Also in the home was Sean Perrin, 31, who police say owned the gun. Perrin, barred from having firearms due to a prior felony conviction, fled the scene but was later arrested. He faces charges of weapons under disability, along with consequences for a probation violation.
Both adults are now in custody at the Franklin County Jail, and Dials is scheduled to appear in court on September 23.
This tragedy underscores a painful reality: unsecured firearms pose a deadly risk to children. Every child has the right to life, survival, and development. Protecting that right means ensuring safe, secure environments where no child’s life is cut short by preventable dangers.
