Virginia couple pleads guilty in 4-year-old child's accidental shooting death

UPDATE (Jan. 23, 2018):

An Orange County couple has pleaded guilty in connection with a young child's accidental shooting death last year.

In May of 2017, four-year-old Cole Clark shot and killed himself while at a home on Mine Run Road near Locust Grove.

He was in the care of Heather Massey, who operated a child care service out of her home.

Nicholas Stoia, who was not home at the time, owned the gun Clark found. Stoia was a recruit with the Stafford County Sheriff's Office and was getting ready to graduate from the academy at the time of the shooting, but the weapon used was not Stoia's service weapon.

Stoia and Massey initially pleaded not guilty in July to charges of child abuse and endangering a child with a loaded gun.

On Tuesday, as part of a deal, Massey pleaded guilty to felony child abuse and Stoia pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless handling of a firearm.

They will be sentenced in April.

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ORIGINAL STORY (May 23, 2017):

The Orange County Sheriff's office reports two people are facing charges in connection with the

.

On May 15, a 4-year-old boy got a hold of a gun at a child care provider and shot himself. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but the child died at the scene. He was identified as Cole James Clark.

Police also said the location was the home of a Stafford County deputy sheriff

One week later, according to a release, 25-year-old Nicholas Joseph Stoia and 27-year-old Heather Christine Massey were indicted by a grand jury.

Massey is facing multiple counts of felony child abuse and neglect, as well as misdemeanor reckless handling or leaving a loaded firearm endangering a child under the age of 14.

Stoia is facing one charge of child abuse and neglect, plus multiple charges of reckless handling or leaving a loaded firearm endangering a child under the age of 14.

The Sheriff's Office reports the additional charges were filed because there were other children in the couple's home on Cecelia Lane, in the area of Mine Run, at the time of the incident.

According to officials, the incident occurred at the home of a Stafford County Sheriff's deputy, who was not home at the time. It did not involve a service weapon.

Massey and Stoia were arrested Monday evening and are being held without bond at the Central Virginia Regional Jail.