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South Florida man accused of manslaughter in shooting death of toddler

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A South Florida man was charged with manslaughter after a 2-year-old died Saturday of a gunshot wound from an “unattended firearm,” authorities said.

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Lius Appolon, 33, of Pompano Beach, was arrested Sunday and faces one count of manslaughter with a firearm, according to Broward County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.

According to a Sunday news release from the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a shooting at an apartment in Pompano Beach at about 1:47 p.m. EDT.

Emergency crews located the toddler, who was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, the Sun-Sentinel reported. The child was airlifted to an area hospital and was pronounced dead, according to the newspaper.

During an investigation, detectives learned that the child was shot by a firearm “left unsecured” in the home by Appolon, the news release stated.

“All I heard was the gunshot, and then I just saw everybody coming,” Jacarter Boyd, a witness, told WPLG-TV. “Then less than two minutes later, all you hear is sirens up and down, and I saw everybody flying and I’m like, ‘Wow, what happened?’”

The sheriff’s office did not say whether Appolon is related to the victim, or why he was in the home with a gun, the television station reported. It was also unclear how the toddler came in contact with the weapon.

Appolon was being held on a $50,000 bond after appearing in court on Sunday, online records show.