2-year-old boy hit by stray bullet at Utah day care

SPANISH FORK, Utah (KSL.com) — A 2-year-old boy is recovering after police say the child was apparently hit by a stray bullet while at a day care in Spanish Fork.

On Monday, several children were outside a Spanish Fork day care center near 2000 North and 300 West in an area surrounded by a vinyl fence. Two adults noticed that a boy “appeared to stumble and was seen bleeding from the face,” according to a prepared statement from Spanish Fork police.

The child’s parents were notified. They then picked up their boy and took him to Utah Valley Hospital.

“It was not until at the hospital that doctors discovered through scans that the boy had a small caliber bullet lodged in (his) head. The child was then transferred to Primary Children’s Hospital for treatment and is currently in stable condition,” police said.

“Detectives are continuing to investigate where the bullet may have been shot from and why. It appears this was a tragic accident. Open fields are directly west of the day care and it is believed the round may have come from that area,” the statement says.

Spanish Fork Police Lt. Cory Slaymaker said there are still a “lot of unknowns” in the investigation. He said detectives found a small hole in the vinyl fence surrounding the day care center that may have been caused by the bullet that hit the boy.

The exact caliber of the bullet is unknown, he said. As of Tuesday, police were notified that doctors have decided to leave the bullet in the boy’s head for fear of causing further damage if they boy undergoes surgery to remove it.

Anyone who has information about the shooting or may have seen something in that area about 3:40 p.m. Monday is asked to call police at 801-804-4700.