Special to the NEWS
Cameron County Sheriff’s Office Investigators continue to gather evidence in the death of a child that occurred just outside the San Benito city limits last week.
The incident occurred last Thursday outside the Tecoville Grocery, located on the 21000 Block of FM 800, just outside San Benito.
The sheriff’s office described the situation as “very sensitive” due to the circumstances, which sources close to the investigation described as possibly involving a child as young as two years of age.
Officials, however, have not released the child’s age or gender, nor the manner of death.
However, authorities have confirmed the death of a child after an incident, possibly involving a firearm.
So far in 2026, the U.S. has recorded at least 191 unintentional shootings involving children, resulting in 68 deaths and 128 injuries, according to tracking data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In recent years, tracking groups have documented hundreds of unintentional shootings by minors under 18, with more than 400 incidents in 2023.
These groups have identified 1,262 deaths from unintentional firearm injuries among children and adolescents ages 0–17 from 2003 to 2021.
According to the CDC, Ohio (19), Texas (16), Georgia (15), and Alabama (14) have recorded the most incidents this year, making them the leading states in 2026.
The vast majority of these incidents occur in a home where a firearm, often belonging to a parent or relative, was left unlocked and loaded.