Lincoln Park man charged with child abuse in non-fatal shooting of toddler

LINCOLN PARK, Mich. - A Lincoln Park man has been charged with three counts of child abuse following a shooting that injured a toddler.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Steven Michael Johnston, a 26-year-old in connection with the incident that hurt a 3-year-old girl. The shooting happened Nov. 19 around 1:30 p.m. when police were dispatched to a trailer at the 3070 Block of Dix Avenue in Lincoln Park.

Sharing a home with his 29-year-old girlfriend and her three kids, ages 2, 3 and 5, Johnston is alleged to have left an unsecured loaded handgun in his room while the kids were playing nearby. The 3-year-old was seen with a gunshot wound to the head when police came. 

She was taken to a local hospital where she still remains, receiving treatment for her head injury.

RELATED: 3-year-old shot, critically injured in Lincoln Park

Johnston's charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

He's expected to be arraigned at 10 a.m on Nov. 27 at the 25th District Court in Lincoln Park.