The family of a nine-year-old boy have broken their silence with a painful tribute after he was killed in an accidental shooting in regional New South Wales.
The young boy who died during a weekend family getaway has been identified as Mohamed Fattah – known as “Moey” and “Hamad”.
Emergency services were called to Fernleigh Close in Windellama, near Goulburn in the Southern Tablelands, about 11.20am on Sunday after reports of a shooting.
Upon arrival at the property, police were told a nine-year-old boy had suffered serious neck injuries after a firearm was accidentally fired at the child.
Paramedics rushed to treat the boy, but he died at the scene.
Mohamed’s heartbroken mother spoke on the loss of her son on Monday and remembered him as a “very cheeky son”.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph she urged people to “hold their loved ones close” as the accident that rocked her world could “happen to anyone”.
”It was a tragic accident … he was loved by everyone, he was a very cheeky, happy boy.”
Another grieving family member wrote on social media he “fell down crying” after learning of the heart shattering fate of his “favourite cousin”.
“Why does it have to happen to him? He is still so little,” he wrote in a post.
“I miss you so much. You were like a little brother to me. When I found out, I fell down crying. I couldn’t get up.
“I didn’t believe it was real and when they pronounced him dead I couldn’t stop crying.”
A 14-year-old boy and 33-year-old man have since been charged over the incident.
They were both arrested late on Sunday night and taken to Goulburn Police Station.
The 14-year-old boy was charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm.
The 33-year-old man was charged with allowing an unauthorised person to possess a firearm and not keeping a firearm safely.
The teenager was granted conditional bail to appear before a children’s court on Friday, while the man will face Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday.
Police are currently investigating whether the firearm was being prepared to be transferred to their Sydney home from the farm when it went off and claimed the life of nine-year-old Mohamed.
