Eldon man who pleaded guilty to endangering welfare of child sentenced to 10 years in prison
TUSCUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
An Eldon man who pleaded guilty to leaving a loaded handgun on a table in reach of a child who accidentally shot and killed himself is was sentenced on Wednesday.
Albert Keel, 28, pleaded guilty in January to endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He is currently listed on the Miller County Jail roster.
The sentencing hearing began at 10 a.m. in Miller County and went on through the afternoon.
Last year, Keel told investigators he was playing video games and then went to bed while leaving a handgun loaded on the table, court documents say. Keel told law enforcement he ran into a bathroom to see the victim lying on the floor with a gunshot wound, authorities allege. He reportedly told investigators he believed the boy shot himself.
First responders found the victim with a gunshot wound to his head.
Keel's wife, Samantha Appleberry along his mother and sister were in the courtroom Wednesday to read impact statements. The three pleaded for mercy for Judge Kenneth Hayden to sentence Keel to probation so he can return home.
"I am begging you to return my husband home to me," Appleberry said.
Appleberry was emotional as she expressed how much she missed her four-year-old son Gabriel Keel saying her world is "shattered." She also defended her husband saying "while he's criminally charged hs is not a criminal,"
Keel's family also highlighted how during his time in the Miller County Jail Keel has spent time to grow and become a better father by taking parenting classes.
Miller County Prosecutor Matthew Howard recommended 15 years in prison. Howard told Judge Hayden he admitted to failing to keep his son safe and that admission comes with consequences, although Keel did not intend to cause his son harm.
Howard also describe the incident as something that not only impacts the family but it also affects officers and the community. Howard said, "the community expects consequences when a child dies, something more than probation,"
Judge Hayden took about 45 minutes to hand down the 10 year prison sentence after a Eldon Police Department Detective took the stand and impact statements were read.
Hayden said his decision ultimately came down to the circumstances of the case, saying the incident could have been prevented and it was Keel's job to provide safety to his child.
The judge also discussed there could have been two deaths if Keel's daughter has also been shot.
Hayden said Gabriel did not have many choices but Keel did and that was to keep his child safe.
Keel was spent his 10 year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections. He will get credit for his time served in the Miller County Jail.
The Missouri Child Fatality Review Program's latest annual report says 73 children died by gunfire in Missouri in 2023. According to the report, two of the deaths were unintentional.
Accidental gun deaths can happen when a gun fires while someone is playing with the weapon, not expecting the weapon to be loaded and not identifying the weapon as not a toy.
The Missouri Department of Social Services reports that about a third of homes with children in the U.S. have guns and many are stored loaded and unlocked.
Children as young as 2 years old may also be strong enough to pull the trigger on a handgun.
The Department of Social Services has several steps parents can take to make sure guns are stored safely.
- Store firearms unloaded when a child is home
- Store ammo separately
- Gun locks, load indicators and other safety devices should be used
- Teach children the difference between a toy gun and a real gun
- Teach gun safety
The National Rifle Association offers its "Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program" that aims to educate children on gun safety.
It offers an eight-minute "Eddie and the Wing Team" video. The cartoon video helps teach children what to do if they ever come across a gun.
Check back for updates.
