In the quiet town of Simpsonville, South Carolina, a terrible tragedy unfolded on December 15, 2014, claiming the life of three-year-old Michael Kyron Boyles. The young boy, a male, passed away at his home on Garfield Lane. His death, which was later ruled accidental by the Greenville County Coroner, was the result of a single gunshot wound to the head.
The incident occurred on a Monday afternoon when Michael found a 9mm pistol in his parents' bedroom.
Believing the firearm to be unloaded, his mother had previously removed the magazine and stored the gun in a dresser drawer for what she thought was safekeeping. The gun had belonged to Michael's father, who had passed away from cancer just seven months prior in the same home.
While his mother was in another part of the house with his younger brother, Michael managed to access the drawer containing the pistol. Unbeknownst to his mother, a single bullet had remained in the chamber. The curious toddler began playing with the firearm, which tragically discharged. His mother heard the shot but initially mistook it for construction noise from a nearby subdivision. When she went to check on her son, she discovered the horrific scene. Simpsonville police responded to a call about a gunshot victim shortly before 2 p.m.
In the wake of the devastating event, authorities confirmed that no charges would be filed. The coroner's investigation determined that the death was a tragic accident. The community was left to mourn the loss of a young life cut short by an unforeseen and heartbreaking turn of events.
