A 5-year-old girl who was found sleeping with a loaded gun on her chest in a squalid home in Manchester, New Hampshire, Wednesday night has been turned over to the Division of Children, Youth and Families, police said.
Police officers investigating a report of possible shots fired on Flaherty Lane about 9:50 p.m. searched the home of 29-year-old Thomas Gulledge after he granted them permission to clear his apartment when asked about the possible gunshots heard in the area, according to police.
Prosecutor Patrice Casian said Gulledge warned officers before they went into the home, telling them to “be careful” because it was a “little messy.”
Once inside, officers found 80 percent of the floor covered in dog feces, trash, and flies were said to be buzzing everywhere. A little girl was also found sleeping on a bed covered in garbage and rotting food with a fully-loaded .45 caliber handgun resting on her chest inside of a holster, police said.
The girl, who officials said is the daughter of Gulledge, had no injuries. She was removed from the home and placed in the care of a foster family through DCYF.
“He left her alone in that apartment with a firearm laying on top of her,” Casian said. “That little girl could have shot herself of shot another person.”
Animal control officers also removed a dog from the home.
Gulledge was taken into custody on an electronic bench warrant. He was arraigned Thursday on two counts of reckless conduct and ordered held on $10,000 bail.
A judge has also ordered Gulledge to stay away from his daughter and not to possess a firearm.