UPDATE: Police Release Details In Death Of 8-Year-Old Oakland Boy

The State Medical Examiner’s Office says the eight year old boy found dead inside his Oakland home Tuesday night died from a gunshot wound to the head.

According to Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland, State Police said Parker Stevens was handling his father’s 12-gauge shotgun inside a closet of his parents' second floor bedroom when the gun fired.  Parker was found by his mother when she went to look for him about 6 pm.   She and her three other younger children were on the first floor of the house, located on Church Street, and did not hear the shot, McCausland said.

Parker is the son of Wade and Sara Stevens.  The father was at work when the boy’s body was found and came home immediately.  Parker was going into the fourth grade at the William’s Elementary School in Oakland, according to McCausland.

According to McCausland, detectives said the Mossberg shotgun had eight shotgun shells in the gun’s magazine tube and the boy apparently racked one of those shells into the chamber before he fired the gun.

State Police had a number of safety suggestions for parents who possess a gun with children in the home, McCausland said.

• Guns should be unloaded and out of reach.
• Ammunition and the weapons should be separated.
• Gun locks and gun safes can be utilized for safe storage.
• Most police departments in Maine have free trigger locks available.

ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Officials are saying 8-year-old boy was found dead an Oakland home on Tuesday evening.

The police are saying very little about what may have happened and the name of the family.

According to Centralmaine.com officials have talked with the parents and are investigating what happened.  An autopsy is scheduled for today (July 25) and they will release more information when they have it.