WHEATFIELD, Ind. (CBS) — Kandice Cole longs for the life she knew before her 4-year-old son, Eric, found a loaded gun at a babysitter’s house.
In September, she stood in her living room, surrounded by images of him. A room once filled with his laughter is now a reminder of his absence. His toys now sit untouched. A little basketball hoop hangs from the closet door. Toy cars and action figures line the shelves. A little league photo sits above the entryway.
“A lifetime ago,” Cole said. “Because I miss him, and I don’t get to make any new memories. All the ones I have are just on replay.”
Eric is one of dozens of children who found an unsecured gun and unintentionally shot themselves or others in Indiana. He’s also one of hundreds of children who were killed by guns in Indiana over the last 20 years, a CBS News Chicago investigation found. This all happened in a state that has failed to pass gun storage legislation, which advocates said could prevent deaths like his…