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Boy boy kills self with unsecured gun; parents of 5-year-old sent to jail
Timithy Gravel and the boy's mother - Heather LeBlanc, were charged under Michigan's Safe Storage Law - and reached a plea deal.
BELLEVILLE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Ron Gravel and his wife, Heather, held each other's hands - holding on to memories of their precious grandson, 5-year-old Robby Gravel.
"He always held my hand no matter where we went," said Ron."I loved his laugh - it would make you belly laugh and he couldn't stop,"
The backstory:
But that laughter - his light - is gone. The little boy shot himself in the stomach with an unsecured gun at his home in Westland back in November.
"This was negligence, it really was," said Judge Regina Thomas.
"I messed up," said Robby's father Timithy Gravel.
"And sir - I know that you know that," Judge Thomas said. "And this is something you're going to have to live with, for the rest of your life - the loss of your child...
Timithy Gravel and his mother - Heather LeBlanc, were charged under Michigan's Safe Storage Law - and reached a plea deal.
They were sentenced Wednesday to five years' probation, serving the first year in the Wayne County Jail.
Robby's grandparents say - it's not enough.
"This is not justice," said Heather Gravel. "Robby is gone forever, yet the defendants will soon return to their lives free to move on, while we are left to carry this loss for the rest of our lives."
For robby's grandparents - there are just so many unanswered questions - there have been so many sleepless nights - so many tears shed - and so much anger.
"We had to leave the anger at the courthouse today," Heather said. "We don't want this to happen to another child."
What you can do:
So they are trying to educate others about the tremendous responsibility that comes with owning a gun.
"Especially with safe storage for firearms," she said. "We totally agree with people owning - but they have to be smart about it - especially when there's children involved."
"You have to have common sense," Ron said. "Put it away - lock it up- be smart. You don't want what happened to us to happen to your family."
It's not just the law - it could save a life.
"Love your kids - love your grandkids - hold them tight - you just never know," Ron said.
The Source: Information for this story came from today's sentencing and interviews with Robby Gravel's grandparents.
Timithy Gravel cries at his sentencing. Inset: Robby Gravel.