Ardmore Boy Hospitalized After Being Shot In The Head From BB Gun Accident

An Ardmore boy is fighting for his life after he was accidentally shot in the head with a BB gun.

His mother Arika Young is now urging parents to educate their kids on the importance of BB gun safety. 

A Tragic Accident

In early January, 14-year-old Karter and his older brother were playing with a BB gun when his brother shot toward Karter, not knowing it was loaded. The BB hit the teen on the temple and lodged in his brain, causing a major bleed.

"I don't know what to do I feel like a helpless mom, like when your baby is sick and you can't fix them or make them feel better, there's no words for it; it’s very hard to see the boy who made me a mama like this," said his mother Arika. . 

Karter's Current Condition

He was flown to Children’s Medical Center Dallas where he was put in a coma and then had brain surgery to relieve swelling and pressure. His mother said at one point, he was running a low-grade fever and had Pneumonia, so she says doctors put him on antibiotics. She says he is no longer in a coma.

"It's very hard to see the boy who made me a mama like this. He still has a ventilator in."

But she says Karter has made some improvements. 

"He did shake his head yes and no. He did try to ask where I was at. He also asked where his dad was. When they asked if he heard his mama, he did shake his head, yes, so he is recognizing voices, which is good," said Young. 

What's Next

Young says Karter will have to have another brain surgery in a couple of weeks and will likely spend a few months in the hospital. She says she and his father have been going back and forth from Ardmore to Dallas, so it has been hard financially. But more than anything, she would appreciate prayers for her son. Though it's too early to predict how his injuries will affect him long-term, she’s just happy he’s holding on.

“I just want him to be able to be the boy that I’ve always known, even if it's a little different, that’s okay,” Young said. 

A Mother's Message

Karter's mother is now pleading with parents to teach their kids how to safely handle a BB gun, as the damage they can cause can be devastating.  

"They need to make sure they know about gun safety, no matter their age, and that BB guns are not toys. You think ‘It's just a BB gun; it's not going to harm anybody or hurt anybody,’ but it can. You can’t go back, you can’t change that time, so make sure you hug your kids, love your kids and the ones that you love because it changes so fast," she said. 

The parents don't have a GoFundMe set up, but their Cash Apps are below:

Mother's Cash App: $snookumms14

Father's Cash App: $JerzieDaddy