A pregnant woman and her unborn child were shot by her toddler son in Norwalk, Ohio.
The woman, identified as Laura Ilg, 31, made a distress call to the police at around 1:11 pm on Friday, June 16, stating that her two-year-old son had accidentally shot her with a firearm he found at their house.
According to Norwalk Police Chief David Smith, responding officers forced entry into the home upon arrival. They found Ilg and her son in the main bedroom on the upper floor. The mother, though in severe pain, was conscious at the time.
Ilg told the officers that she had implemented safety precautions for the firearm but was unaware that her toddler had accessed the gun while she was preoccupied with laundry. She had attempted to contact her husband, who was at work and could not immediately assist.
Ilg was rushed to Fisher-Titus Medical Center for emergency care. Tragically, her unborn child could not be saved and was pronounced dead about one hour after the shooting. She also succumbed to her injuries and passed away at around 5 pm.
Laura’s husband, Alek Ilg, shared his grief on social media. In a Facebook post on Monday night, he wrote, “Laura and our unborn son Talisen passed away Friday. There are no words for the pain and loss I feel. She was, is, and will always be, the love of my life.”
The Norwalk Police Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.