South Florida Officer Arrested After Son Accidentally Shoots Himself

Homestead, FL - A Miami-Dade Schools police officer has been arrested after her three-year-old son accidentally shot himself in the foot with her unsecured gun.

The child's mother, identified as Stephanie Alondra Jerez, is a Miami-Dade Schools Police officer.

According to Homestead police, the shooting occurred around 1:55 p.m. Sunday at a residence on Southeast 26th Terrace in Homestead.

Jerez, who was off-duty at the time, was reportedly preparing food when her son gained access to the unsecured firearm.

The gun involved was Jerez's personal weapon, not her department-issued service weapon.

Homestead Police arrested Jerez on a charge of child neglect with great bodily harm.

"The Homestead Police Department takes cases involving child endangerment very seriously," the department said in a statement. "We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children in our community."

Jerez's bond was set at $5,000 during a court appearance on Monday.

The judge restricted Jerez from possessing firearms in her home when children are present and prohibited her from carrying a gun off-duty, except for work purposes.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) confirmed the incident and stated that Jerez has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.