Mother of boy who shot himself arrested

The mother of a boy who shot himself in the head earlier this month has been arrested on child abuse and neglect charges.

North Las Vegas police said Carmen Gustin, 38, was arrested on one count of child abuse with substantial bodily harm, two counts of child neglect, and one count of destroying evidence.

Gustin wasn't home when her 10-year-old son shot himself in the head on Aug. 9. The boy's 3-year-old brother was home at the time.

According to an arrest report for the mother, the older boy was still hospitalized and unable to speak. When asked by an officer Wednesday whether he shot himself, the boy nodded, the report said.

When Gustin came home, she found the older boy injured and called police to the house in the 3500 block of Creosote Way, near Gowan Road and Allen Lane, about 4:30 p.m.

Child welfare officers have taken custody of the 3-year-old and a teenage son who wasn't home at the time of the shooting. Gustin had a lengthy history with police of allowing her children access to guns and leaving them home alone, the report said.