Teen uncle charged after 3-year-old critically wounded in possible accidental shooting in South Philadelphia

A 17-year-old uncle of a 3-year-old boy critically wounded in a possible accidental shooting in a South Philadelphia home has been charged, prosecutors said Thursday.

The young boy is fighting for his life and is currently in critical condition, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said during a press conference.

"It is obviously a tragedy," Krasner said. "It is outrageous that any 3-year-old would be harmed this way."

Police were called to the 2100 block of South 26th Street late Wednesday night for a report of a gunshot victim. When they arrived, they did not find a victim, but saw a trail of blood leading to a home on the block, Chief Inspector Scott Small told CBS News Philadelphia.

Police were unable to find the gun used in the shooting when they arrived, but investigators said they found a ghost gun inside a shoebox in the home. They said the gun was inoperable, leading police to believe that it wasn't the gun used in the shooting. 

Residents of the property reported that a 3-year-old had just been shot in the head and was driven to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Police went to the hospital and found the child was undergoing surgery due to his injuries. 

Small said police believe the child may have shot himself, but detectives are still gathering information.

"Inside the second floor of the property, where we believe the shooting occurred, we did find a magazine from a gun; however, the gun itself was not in plain view," Small said.

Investigators are now working to find out how the toddler got access to a gun. Some people in the home have been transported to police headquarters for questioning. 

The 17-year-old is currently in custody. He's facing several charges as a juvenile, including a felony weapons charge and tampering with evidence, since the gun is nowhere to be found. Police said the teenager has a prior gun offense and was on juvenile supervision.

Police are asking the public to come forward with any information on the missing gun.