Stafford Cop Recruit Charged In Child's Accidental Fatal Shooting ICYMI

ORANGE, VA — A Stafford County Sheriff's Office recruit and his live-in girlfriend were arrested Monday night and charged with felony child neglect for their roles in an accidental shooting that left a 4-year-old boy dead, according to Orange County Police. Nicholas Stoia, 25, and Heather Massey are being held at the Central Virginia Regional Jail with no bond.

The child, Cole James Clark, fatally shot himself May 15 at the home of a child care provider where the Stafford County Sheriff's Office recruit lives, on Mine Road. Stoia wasn't at home when the shooting occurred, and the weapon was not a service weapon.

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Around 12:45 p.m., police received a call about the incident. Police and rescue workers responded but attempts to revive the child were unsuccessful. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. Police didn't reveal how the child came to possess the gun, but Stoia and Massey were also charged with four misdemeanor counts of reckless handling of a firearm (related to) leaving a loaded gun around that would endanger a child.

Stoia, now on administrative leave, is enrolled at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy. He began working for the police in December 2016 and entered the academy shortly thereafter.

Photos: Orange County Sheriff's Office