In the small community of Elmo, Missouri, a heartbreaking incident unfolded on January 19, 2015, resulting in the death of nine-month-old Corbin Andrew Wiederholt. The male infant passed away at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, from a gunshot wound to the head.
Earlier that day, emergency services received a frantic call from the boy's mother, Alexis Wiederholt, reporting that her infant son had been shot in the head with a paintball gun by his five-year-old brother.
However, upon their arrival at the home, law enforcement discovered a much more tragic reality. The older brother had found a loaded. 22 caliber Magnum revolver and was holding it when it discharged, striking young Corbin who was in his playpen in the same room.
The firearm belonged to a family member and had been kept on a shelf in the headboard of the master bed. Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White described the event as a tragic accident. Following an investigation, the county prosecutor determined that no criminal charges would be filed. It was concluded that the mother was unaware of the gun's presence in the home and that the weapon was not left in plain sight.
Corbin, born on April 15, 2014, in Omaha, Nebraska, had lived in Clarinda, Iowa, before his family moved to Almont, North Dakota, though the incident occurred in Elmo, Missouri. He was survived by his parents and three older brothers. The devastating event left the family and the small community in profound grief.
