A Georgia man is facing felony charges after authorities say his 2-year-old son fatally shot himself with a gun that had been left inside a fanny pack on a bed.
Richard Lee Willis has been charged with second-degree murder and cruelty to children in the death of his son, River Willis. The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon at an apartment complex on the 2600 block of Sandalwood Drive in Sandy Springs, a city just outside Atlanta.
Officers responded around 2 p.m. to a report of a shooting and found River suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics pronounced the child dead at the scene. Willis was arrested later that day.
Allegations in Arrest Affidavit
According to an arrest affidavit, Willis and his wife had just returned home from a doctor’s appointment when he removed his fanny pack, which contained a loaded 9mm pistol, and placed it on his bed.
Investigators allege Willis sent River upstairs for a nap in his bedroom with a cellphone. The child later came downstairs and told his father the phone had died. Willis allegedly instructed him to go to the master bedroom and sleep there instead. River reportedly asked his father to lie down with him until he fell asleep, and Willis told him he would come upstairs in a few minutes.
Minutes later, Willis said he heard a gunshot. Police wrote that he ran upstairs and found the fanny pack open, the pistol near the child’s leg, and River suffering from a gunshot wound to his face.
Authorities allege that leaving the loaded firearm within reach of the toddler caused “cruel and excessive pain,” forming the basis for the cruelty to children charge.
Court Proceedings and Family Response
Willis is being held without bond at the Fulton County Jail. During a court hearing, his attorney, Clint Rucker, said the family is grieving deeply and asked the court to consider setting a bond so Willis could return home.
A GoFundMe organized by River’s mother described Willis as a devoted father and characterized the shooting as a tragic accident. She wrote about the close bond between father and son, describing River as curious, joyful and full of energy. The fundraiser states that the family is now planning a funeral and struggling to cope with the sudden loss.
The case remains pending as Willis awaits further court proceedings.
