An Indiana couple has been arrested after police discovered two disturbing cell phone videos of a 1-year-old boy playing with a handgun.
The videos were found after Evansville Police arrested Michael Barnes on Thursday during a sting operation in which Barnes – who had an active warrant for armed robbery – agreed to sell a handgun to an undercover officer.
The next day when detectives were searching the 19-year-old’s phone for evidence, authorities found two videos showing a boy playing with a gun that appears to the same firearm that Barnes tried to sell, Evansville Police said.
In one video, Barnes can be heard telling the boy to say “pow!” while playing with the gun, authorities said. Another video allegedly shows the boy placing the muzzle on the gun in his mouth.
Barnes, along with the boy’s 22-year-old mother, Toni Wilson – who was deemed to be at the scene when the videos were made – were arrested and charged for Child Neglect, Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon, and Allowing a Child to Possess a Firearm. Barnes also faces charges in relation to his Thursday arrest.
When confronted about the video, Wilson told police it was a pellet gun.
The boy and the couple’s 1-month-old twins were placed into emergency care, Evansville Police said.
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