WV KNIFE AND GUN CLUB - Second WV Toddler Shot By Father

(12/12/2008)
A second West Virginia toddler has been shot and killed by its' father.

Police in Logan County say a man shot his 3-year-old son in the head. The child died later.

They say the shooting happened at a house on Caney Branch Road in Chapmanville around 11:45 Wednesday night.

According to the criminal complaint, someone called 911 to report that a child had fallen and had a head injury.

After the child arrived at the hospital, it was discovered that the boy had been shot in the head.

Brent David Spencer, 29 (pictured left) admitted to investigators that he shot the child. He is being charged and is in Southwestern Regional Jail.

About 10 days ago, Raleigh County police charged a 44-year-old man with child abuse resulting in the death of his 3-year-old son.

The man said he was playing a game with the child.

Gary Wayne Garretson, 44 of Coal City, shot his son Anthony Garretson in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun, according to the complaint.

Garretson (pictured left) told police he didn't know the gun was loaded.

The 3-year-old was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said Sgt. L.D. Lilly of the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department.

Garretson said he had pointed the unloaded shotgun at his son in the past as part of a game saying, "that he was going to get him and Anthony would respond saying that 'you can't get me daddy,'" according to the complaint.

No one else was at home when this happened, the complaint states.