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Mother of toddler killed in Osceola County accidental shooting faces criminal charge

Mother accused of not properly securing her gun

Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon holds up a gun lock during a news conference about the death of Brayden Tennyson in July. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The mother of a two-year-old who was killed when another child found a gun and fired it in Osceola County earlier this month now could be charged with culpable negligence.

Two-year-old Brayden Tennyson was visiting from Georgia with his family. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says a 4-year-old family member found an unsecured gun inside a vehicle on July 12. The child fired the gun, striking Brayden, who was also in the car, unsupervised, at the time.

The sheriff’s office says the gun belongs to the boy’s mother, 37-year-old Shakelia Tennyson of Louisville, Georgia.

A felony charge of culpable negligence has been forwarded to the state attorney’s office, which will decide the next step.

The mother, who has already returned to Georgia, was notified of the charges.

[WATCH: Accident or negligent: 7 kids impacted in Central Florida’s string of unintentional shootings]