On a Christmas evening that should have been filled with warmth and celebration, tragedy struck a family in Indian Head, Maryland. Inside a single-family home on Mattingly Avenue on December 25, 2020, 17-year-old Edwin Roberto Rivera Juarez was with two teenage relatives. The festive atmosphere was shattered when a firearm, being handled by a 13-year-old girl, discharged.
A single shot struck Edwin in the upper body.
Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 6:45 p.m., and the young man was rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Edwin Roberto Rivera Juarez was pronounced deceased.
The Charles County Sheriff's Office responded to the incident, and their initial investigation pointed towards a tragic accident rather than an intentional act. Detectives began looking into how the teenagers had gained access to the firearm, a critical question in the unfolding investigation. Authorities announced that once their investigation was complete, the findings would be reviewed by the Charles County State's Attorney's Office to determine what, if any, charges would be filed. The Sheriff's Office used the devastating event to remind gun owners of the importance of securing their firearms to prevent such tragedies.
