On a tragic evening in Hinckley, Minnesota, the life of a young White male child, Thomas Noel Pauza-Moore, was cut short just weeks before his fourth birthday. The 3-year-old died on August 8, 2023, in what was a preventable accident inside his own home. Thomas was a bright and cheerful boy, known for his infectious smile and laughter. He loved playing with water, being outdoors, and was a wonderful big brother to his sister, Clara.
That night, while his father, Roy Dean Pauza-Moore, and a roommate were in the basement playing video games, Thomas was sent to his father's bedroom to retrieve a phone charger. It was there that the curious toddler discovered a loaded 9mm handgun that had been left unsecured on top of a gun safe. A sudden loud noise from the bedroom prompted the father and his roommate to rush upstairs, where they made a devastating discovery. They found Thomas on the floor with a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 9:00 p.m.
In the investigation that followed, law enforcement found multiple firearms in the residence that were not properly secured. Besides the handgun that caused the fatal injury, an AR-15-style rifle and a loaded shotgun were found at floor level in an open closet in the father's bedroom, easily accessible to a child. The boy's mother, who had separated from the father and moved out of the home months prior, told investigators she had previously warned him about the necessity of locking up his guns and keeping them out of reach of children.
Roy Dean Pauza-Moore, then 26, was arrested and faced multiple charges, including second-degree manslaughter, child endangerment by firearm access, and negligent storage of a firearm. In a later court proceeding, he pleaded guilty to felony child endangerment. As a result of a plea deal, the two manslaughter counts and the charge of negligent firearm storage were dismissed. He was ultimately sentenced to five months in jail and five years of probation for his role in the death of his young son.
