Parents are charged after Ronnie Lynn, aged four, shoots himself in the head and is left paralyzed from gun left lying under bed at Pennsylvania home

Two parents have been charged after their four-year-old son shot himself in the head with a gun left in the family's Pennsylvania home.

Ronnie Lynn was left paralyzed and required a feeding tube after the bullet ricocheted through his skull during the tragic incident on July 6.

The juvenile came across the loaded and unsecured gun under a bed in his Rostraver Township home while looking for a paint set, police said.

Laura Steele and Michael Lynn have now been charged with endangering the welfare of children by a parent/guardian and recklessly endangering another person.

Both parents were home at the time of the shooting and heard a “bang” before discovering their bleeding son lying next to a gun. WTAE reports.

Michael Lynn and Laura Steel are charged with child neglect following the tragic accident on July 6

Ronnie was left paralyzed and with damage to his brain and eye after coming across the loaded and unsecured gun under a bed while looking for a paint set

Steele told police she forgot the gun was under the bed because it had been there for so long.

Ronnie was rushed to UPMC Children's Hospital in stable but critical condition and was left paralyzed down his right side.

His grandfather Wally Lynn told WTAE that the boy shot himself in the forehead and that the bullet went “all the way back.”

He only survived thanks to the quick response of ambulance crews, who managed to get him into surgery within an hour of responding to the call.

In September, his family said he was on the mend. Recently his feeding tube was removed and he regained feeling in his limbs.

“His right arm and right leg were paralyzed, and now he's kicking that foot,” Ronnie's grandfather said.

The youngster also started regaining his speech a few months ago.

However, he was still unable to walk and required a wheelchair.

Steele told police the gun had been under the bed for so long she forgot about it

Ronnie had regained some of the movement in his arm and leg, but as of September was still dependent on a wheelchair

“They put them in a wheelchair, and he has to wear a helmet. So my son, you know, being a good father, he bought himself a helmet,” Wally Lynn said. “Then they go around for what they call an excursion. He just waves at all the nurses.

The family hoped Ronnie would be free by the holidays.

A GoFundMe page because the 'strong little, independent boy' indicates that he has suffered damage to his brain and his eye.

His parents have “not left his side” since the incident, the fundraiser said, even though Steele is battling stage four breast cancer.

The page is set up to cover medical costs. It has raised $6,735 of its $8,000 goal.

'Ronnie is a strong, independent boy of only 4 years old. Curious about the world and the space around him,” the fundraiser said.

'He loves helping his Dad and Dad Dad with any work that needs to be done around the house, and even follows him around to cut the grass with his own little mower to make sure no spots are missed become.

'He enjoys dancing with his family and cooking with his Mimi. He did all kinds of crafts with his sister and played video games with his brother. Ronnie is a very loved boy.'

The boy was saved by the quick response of the ambulance crew, which put him on the operating table within an hour

Police ruled the shooting an accident but announced the charges Monday.

“This was a tragic and unacceptable shooting that ultimately could and should have been prevented,” said Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli.

'There is one simple solution to prevent these types of incidents, and that is to store your firearms in a secure location.

She added that Ronnie will “probably have to live with this painful memory for the rest of his life.”