Authorities said the loaded firearm was hidden between couch cushions but remained within reach of the 2-year-old boy.
HIGHLAND, Calif. — The fatal shooting of a 2-year-old boy who found a loaded gun inside a couch has placed firearm storage and adult responsibility at the center of a San Bernardino County investigation.
The child died after the shooting Thursday evening at a residence in the 6900 block of Victoria Avenue. Sheriff’s investigators said he found the firearm between two seat cushions and accidentally discharged it. Deputies performed CPR before the boy was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The boy’s mother, Jamaria Cobb, 20, and her boyfriend, Armand Bright, 52, were inside the home at the time, authorities said. Both were arrested on suspicion of child abuse causing great bodily injury or death and were being held on bail of about $1.35 million each.
Investigators said the gun was legally registered to Bright. Its legal ownership, however, is separate from the question investigators are examining: how a loaded firearm became accessible to a toddler inside a home shared by two small children.
The Sheriff’s Department has not released a full account of the hours before the shooting or said who placed the firearm in the couch. Authorities also have not said whether the adults knew the gun was loaded or whether it had been stored in that location before Thursday.
The victim’s 1-year-old brother was taken into the care of child and family services after the shooting. Officials did not disclose where the younger child was placed or whether relatives were being considered for his care.
Gloria Orejel, a Sheriff’s Department spokesperson, said the case illustrates the lasting consequences when children gain access to firearms. “Going to jail is one thing, but losing your child is different,” she said. “That’s on a whole different level.”
Amber Butler, a neighbor and mother of two, said news of the child’s death shocked residents. “I just hope that people see the consequences of not completely following all safety precautions when it comes to having firearms,” Butler told KTLA.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said the case underscores the responsibility of gun owners to prevent children from reaching firearms. The office said it would pursue accountability when the evidence and law support charges, but it had not received the completed case from investigators as of Saturday.
Cobb and Bright have not been convicted of a crime. A filing decision will be made after prosecutors review the investigative reports, available physical evidence and other information submitted by the Sheriff’s Department.
Author note: Last updated July 18, 2026.