Miami-Dade County

Toddler home from hospital after being burned by flare gun in West Little River

Ring camera captured the moment it happened.

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A family is grateful their 2-year-old son is back from the hospital after the toddler was burned by a flare gun in a scary incident in northwest Miami-Dade.

On Thursday, Lazaro Perez Hernandez and his son Justin were on their family boat when the toddler opened a drawer where the flare gun was kept as a safety requirement. Justin grabbed it and started playing with it.

β€œIn the moment, I was very scared. Thank God nothing was serious and thank God my child is OK," Lazaro said in Spanish.

Despite what police said, the father said his son did not shoot himself – but somehow the gun went off.

Ring camera captured the moment it happened. Lazaro says the cap of the flare gun – the part that needs to be removed before igniting a flame – burned his son's chest and finger

Justin's injuries were minor.

The father said the scary incident is a reminder to always have eyes on children and make sure that anything potentially harmful like a flare gun is out of reach.

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