Shanquisha Lashay Upshaw

A Lehigh Acres woman is accused of ignoring a self-inflected gunshot wound to her child’s foot.

On June 16, Fort Myers police responded to Lee Memorial Hospital about a 4-year-old girl suffering from a possible gunshot wound to the leg, according to officials. The child’s father brought the child to hospital after a family member noticed that the child was limping and in severe pain.

The FMPD launched an investigation. X-rays conducted at the hospital determined that the child was suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg and she still had a projectile lodged in her right foot.

On June 26, Fort Myers police arrested and charged the child’s mother – Shanquisha Lashay Upshaw, 23, of 5323 27th St. S.W. – with aggravated child neglect neglect child with great bodily harm.

The investigation determined that the child shot herself while playing with a handgun. Investigators believed the incident occurred sometime between May 31 and June 7, while the girl and Upshaw were staying together at a friend’s residence, at 2139 Pauldo St., Fort Myers.

According to officials, Upshaw knew there was a firearm in the home and that it was not properly secured and was easily accessible by her daughter.

Initially, Upshaw told friends and family that the child had hurt her knee while playing at the park. It was not until she agreed to turn the child over to her father that the child was taken to receive care.

“It is incomprehensible to imagine how a parent would allow any child to suffer for weeks with such a severe injury,” Lt. Jay Rodriguez, with the FMPD, said in a statement. “The father and family of this innocent victim should be commended for taking immediate action upon recognizing the child sustained a serious injury and was in excruciating pain.”

As of June 28, Upshaw had been released on $10,000 bond.

She has a court appearance set for July 31.