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Written by: A. Smith
Published December 29, 2025 @ 1:00 PM ET
WALKER COUNTY, Ga. – A 2-year-old boy was shot in the head on Christmas morning in Walker County and remains in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery, authorities said.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said deputies were called around 9:50 a.m. to a home on Tarvin Road in Rock Spring after receiving a report of a child with a gunshot wound. Deputies and emergency medical crews transported the toddler to T.C. Thompson Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he underwent surgery.
In an update released by the sheriff’s office, investigators said the child’s father returned home late Christmas Eve and placed his 9 mm handgun on a nightstand beside the bed. Authorities said that on Christmas morning, after the children were awake, the father was in another room dressing an infant when he heard a loud “pop” coming from the bedroom.
When the father went to investigate, deputies said he found the 2-year-old crying and bleeding from a head wound.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Walker County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation. GBI officials confirmed the child remains hospitalized but is expected to survive. The investigation is active and ongoing.
The infant who was also inside the home has since been placed with relatives. Authorities said no charges have been filed and no names are being released at this time. The Walker County Department of Family and Children’s Services is also assisting with the case.
“We all grieve when a child is injured or dies; however, for this tragedy to happen on Christmas morning, the emotions are magnified,” Sheriff Wilson said in a statement.