Jamie Gilt, the outspoken pro-gun Florida mother who left a .45-caliber handgun where her four-year-old son could find it, may very well end up facing criminal charges once she leaves the hospital.

Jamie Gilt, the Florida pro-gun activist who was accidentally shot and wounded by her 4-year-old son, is expected to face a misdemeanor charge of allowing a minor access to a firearm, authorities said Tuesday.

Gilt, 31, was hospitalized earlier this month after the toddler accidentally shot her from the back seat of a car while she was sitting in the driver’s seat, officials said.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday filed an affidavit with local prosecutors recommending that Gilt be charged with the second-degree misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to 180 days in jail, officials said.

Authorities said the firearm was legally owned by Gilt, who maintained a Facebook page entitled “Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense,” where she regularly posted pro-gun positions.

Florida law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to store or leave a loaded firearm in such a way that a child could gain access to it.

Gun control supporters took near sociopathic glee in Gilt’s injuries, but I seen nothing to be happy about here… not for any sane person, at least.

Ms. Gilt made an irresponsible decision to leave the gun where her son could access it instead of securing it. They are now both going to have to deal with the psychological scars and a prolonged and painful recovery, and now Ms. Gilt faces a misdemeanor charge for her carelessness as well.

It’s a harsh lesson that I hope other parents learn from before it happens to them with even more tragic consequences.

Not everyone can afford a high-end gun safe, but if you can afford a gun, you have a duty to find safe storage for it. Fortunately, you can find basic storage for about the cost of two premium boxes of handgun ammo.

I’ve recently started using a Nanovault 300 cable-locked to the seat frame in my truck to secure my handgun when I can’t carry a firearm into a given location for practical or legal reasons. This and similar containers keeps guns away from children and out of the hands of smash-and-grab robbers who quickly ransack vehicles, but who don’t typically have the time or tools on hand to easily access a locked container.

I’d strongly advise anyone with a handgun to make the relatively minimal financial investment in a locking storage container or gun safe. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than legal fees, or those from a funeral home.