Boy, 2, was groomed to handle guns, shot himself

The father of a 2-year-old suburban Philadelphia boy who accidentally shot himself to death has been accused of leaving a loaded handgun out and charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Twenty-six-year-old Nicholas Wyllie, of Quakertown, was arraigned Wednesday.

Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub says Benjamin Smith's death "was 100 percent avoidable." He says the child was accustomed to playing with realistic-looking toy handguns and "groomed to understand that guns could be held and handled."

Benjamin suffered a gunshot wound to the chest inside a Milford Township home on Sept. 12. Authorities say Wyllie had left a handgun unsecured in a bedroom where the boy had gone to watch "Winnie-the-Pooh."

Defense attorney John Fioravanti Jr. declined immediate comment Wednesday but said "I certainly will later." His client is also charged with endangerment.

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