June 12, 2008
Brandon Haught
Public Information Office

FATHER CHARGED IN TODDLER'S ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING 

Sheriff's investigators filed a criminal complaint affidavit with the State Attorney's Office today charging 24-year-old Brandon Cardona with child neglect, leaving firearms within access of a minor (Statute 790.174, safe storage of a firearm), forgery, giving false official statements, giving a false report to law enforcement officers and resisting arrest without violence. During the investigation into a 3-year-old's accidental shooting Tuesday (see below news release and update), Cardona had told deputies that he was the victim's uncle, Robert Cardona; however, it was later learned that his actual identity was Brandon Cardona, the victim's father. The forgery charge stems from Cardona signing his brother's name on a witness statement given to investigators. 

On Wednesday, Cardona and the child's mother, Tracy DeCarr, appeared for a DCF hearing at the Volusia County Courthouse, DeLand. Cardona admitted to the judge during the hearing that he had lied to deputies about his identity. 

Cardona was arrested Wednesday in the courthouse on a Flagler County warrant (violation of probation, driving with license suspended) unrelated to the shooting incident.