Lincoln Park man arraigned on child abuse charges after 3-year-old girl shoots herself

LINCOLN PARK, Mich. – A 3-year-old girl is in the hospital after she shot herself with a gun Nov. 19.

Her father, the owner of the gun, was arraigned Wednesday on child abuse charges.

Prosecutors said Skylar was playing in Steven Johnston’s room when she came across a loaded handgun and accidentally shot herself in the head.

According to the family, Johnston wasn’t home at the time and that his girlfriend was watching all three children when Skylar got her hands on the gun.

The judge issued Johnston a personal bond of $15,000 with a GPS monitor.

“His daughter needs him right now more than anything,” said Skylar’s great-grandmother, Joyce Nelson. “She needs her dad. She’s a daddy girl. She loves her daddy and he needs to be there with her while he can be.”