A mother that was shot and killed accidentally by her 2-year-old at an Idaho Wal-Mart has been deemed responsible and not at fault for the tragedy, CBS News reported.
The boy reached into 29-year-old Veronica J. Rutledge's purse and her legally-carrying concealed weapon discharged. The woman, young son and three other children were shopping when the incident occurred.
Authorities have looked over surveillance tapes from the incident, but haven't made the decision of whether or not to release them publicly yet.
The other children, all under 11-years-old, were extended family members. Rutledge was from southern Idaho and had come to the area with her family to visit other relatives. Rutledge had a permit to carry a concealed weapon in the state, the LA Times reported.
The child was left in a shopping cart when he put his hand inside his mother's bag and made contact with the handgun, leading it to go off one time.
The victim's father-in-law, Terry Rutledge, described the woman as a "beautiful, young, loving mother."
"She was not the least bit irresponsible," Terry Rutledge said. "She was taken much too soon."
The woman's husband was not at the store when the tragedy occurred, but arrived shortly after and all the children were taken to a relative's home.
Brooke Buchanan, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, issued a statement called the shooting a tragic accident.
"We are working closely with the local sheriff's department while they investigate what happened," Buchanan said.
