“Is There an Unlocked Gun in the Home?”

Hope and Will: A Parenting Podcast from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

For their family’s spring break, Julvonnia McDowell and her husband drove their sons to Savannah, Ga., to spend time with family. Four days into their trip, she received a terrifying phone call from her oldest son: His little brother had been shot. A cousin had found a loaded gun hidden in a clothes drawer. Assuming it was empty, he unintentionally fired it, sending a bullet into his cousin’s chest. In an instant, their family of four became a family of three. Today, she’s on a mission to empower parents to not shy away from asking others about the potential presence of unsecured firearms. We’ll also hear from Dr. Kiesha Fraser Doh, a Children’s emergency medicine physician, who’s cared for many children unintentionally injured by unsecured guns—often at the hands of other children. Learn what you can do to avoid experiencing the same heartbreak as Julvonnia and so many other parents.

Access our Strong4Life team’s firearm safety resources

Learn more about the McDowell family’s story.

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This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be considered medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgments when making recommendations for their patients. Patients in need of medical or behavioral advice should consult their family healthcare providers. In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. Product mentions are not endorsements.