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Report: Jacksonville felon wasn't home when 3-year-old died by self-inflicted gunshot wound

The child's mother called for help after finding her 3-year-old child in the bedroom of the home with a gunshot wound, the arrest report states.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — New reports are shedding more light on the arrest of a Jacksonville man in connection with the death of a toddler who died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.

Alexander Sibley III, 36, was booked into jail in Duval County Sunday evening on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to an arrest report from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. The report lists Sibley's home address as Crimson Leaf Lane, the same address where police and Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department crews responded Sunday afternoon for reports of a child experiencing medical distress.

The child's mother called for help after finding her 3-year-old child in the bedroom of the home with a gunshot wound, the arrest report states. When officers and JFRD crews arrived on the scene, they found the boy with a gunshot wound to his head, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the arrest report.

The child's mother told police that she, the child, his aunt and his grandmother were all inside the home at the time. The mother heard the gunshot and went toward the sound, the report states.

Sibley was not there at the time, the report states. The boy's grandmother called Sibley on his cellphone and told him what happened, according to the report.

When Sibley arrived in the neighborhood, he was detained by police for an outstanding writ, according to the arrest report. After carrying out a search warrant for the home in relation to the child's death and checking records, police discovered that Sibley had previously been found guilty of trafficking cocaine in 2015, making him a convicted felon and therefore unable to legally own a weapon or ammunition, the arrest report states.

Police seized a Smith and Wesson semiautomatic handgun with a magazine and live rounds, according to the arrest report.

Officers took Sibley to the Police Memorial Building in Downtown Jacksonville to be interviewed by detectives. JSO's Homicide Unit, Crime Scene Unit and the Medical Examiner all responded to the scene, according to an incident report.

The address is in the Oak Hill area of Jacksonville, on the Westside. Police were called around 12:45 p.m. The arrest report shows Sibley was arrested at 7:15 that evening.

During a briefing to the media on the incident, JSO Lt. Stronko encouraged community members to secure their firearms in a safe place and practice proper gun safety.

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