A 12-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his mother while playing with a homemade rifle on Monday at their house in Tuol Kroeul village, Tuol Kroeul commune, Prasat Balang district, in Kampong Thom province.

Provincial deputy police chief in charge of crime Tith Somnang said the son was not arrested after investigations showed that the shooting was accidental.

The mother, Yith Khoeurn, 33, and her son were living together in Tuol Kroeul village. The home-made rifle belonged to the boy’s father who was not at home when the incident happened.

Samnang said: “Our investigation showed that he had picked up the rifle, and was innocently playing with it when it went off. It was unintentional. If he was mad and killed his mother on purpose, he would have been arrested,” he added.

He said that authorities reported the case to the Kampong Thom Provincial Court and the Ministry of Interior’s Central Justice Department.

“Although we did not arrest the boy, we have reported the case and are waiting for the court’s decision,” he said.

A witness said the incident happened at 6:30pm on Monday and that before the shooting, the son had inserted bullets into a homemade rifle. Then, he pointed the rifle towards his mother.

He reportedly did not pull the trigger, but there was an accidental gunshot. Two bullets were shot into the mother’s chest, killing her instantly.

A medical examination ascertained that the woman had died from the gunshots. Her family is currently preparing her funeral rites according to tradition.