Father charged with endangerment after 6-year-old son fatally shoots himself

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A Rockford man faces a felony child endangerment charge after investigators claim he left a loaded gun out and went to bed, giving his 6-year-old son access to it.

Ellioth D. Lopez, 26, is charged with endangering the life/health of a child. The fatal shooting happened in a living room on November 20 as the unsupervised child handled the gun, which was a loaded .45-caliber pistol.

If convicted, Lopez faces up to 10 years in prison.