Great-grandmother charged in shooting death of 2-year-old child

Posted July 19, 2010 at 11:55 a.m.

Prosecutors have charged a south Fort Myers woman with negligence in her 2-year-old great-grandson’s self-inflicted shooting earlier this year.

Michelle Freiburger, 57, faces five years in prison if convicted of the charge of culpible negligence in allowing a minor access to a gun. Prosecutors filed a warrant on May 24, and Freiburger was not taken into custody. She pleaded not guilty to the charge in a June arraignment.

Two-year-old Ian Heath Allen died on Jan. 11 after shooting himself in the head with a gun found at Freiburger’s Calusa Palms Drive home, according to detectvies. Several roommates were inside the home at the time of the shooting, as was Ian’s infant brother, 4-month old Aidan J. Allen.

The state Department of Children and Families concluded its investigation into the death on June 13, finding the child’s surroundings contributed to his death. The parents of the children were not involved in the accident, a spokesman said. .

“With this case it looks like great-grandmother was babysitting in her own home,” Children and Families spokesman Terry Field said.

Freiburger has a case management conference on Aug. 3.

From: http://www.marconews.com/news/2010/jul/19/woman-charged-shooting-death-2-year-old-child/