Glendale Police have arrested 44-year-old Kevin Lavell Rhymes and his girlfriend, 31-year-old Laquasha Lachell Sebastian, for child neglect/abuse, endangerment and misconduct involving weapons after 4-year-old boy accidentally shoots himself.

On March 20, police responded to the area of 68^th Avenue and Windsor Boulevard for a report of a 4-year-old boy who accidently shot himself in the chest.

Officers provided lifesaving measures, then the fire department responded and transported the child to the hospital with life threatening injuries.  After undergoing surgery, the child stabilized from his injuries and is expected to survive.

Child Crimes detectives responded to take the investigation in addition to violent crimes detectives.  Both investigative units worked collaboratively to investigate the shooting.

Kevin Rhymes (father to child) and Laquasha Sebastian (girlfriend to Kevin) cooperated with the investigation and were transported to the Glendale Police station for questioning.

After hour-long interviews, detectives discovered that Sebastian was sleeping in the master bedroom with the child victim while Rhymes was working on a vehicle in the carport.

The 4-year-old was moving around in bed and placed his hand under the pillow where Laquasha had placed her 9mm handgun.  There was an accidental discharge, and the projectile struck the child.

It was later determined that Laquasha’s handgun was possibly not the firearm used in the accidental shooting.  Parts to a Smith & Wesson 40 caliber handgun were found near the bed.

Upon further search of the residence and property, a gray Smith & Wesson handgun was found in the backyard that was missing the same parts found near the bed.  This weapon had a spent shell casing still inside the chamber.

At the conclusion of the interviews with both adults, it was determined there was significant neglect on the part of both.

Upon further investigation, it was found that less than a year prior at the same residence, police responded for a family fight and found the same child injured, playing with disassembled weapons in the residence.

Based on historical information and after what occurred March 20, detectives found probable cause to arrest both adults for child abuse and endangerment.  Rhymes was also charged with misconduct involving weapons.