Three-year-old Yasha Ross of Pittsburgh died from a gunshot wound on March 12, 2017, after finding a 9mm handgun upstairs in a Mt. Washington home. Yasha’s mother, Michelle Gandy, and two other adults were reportedly in the basement when the child obtained the weapon belonging to Paul Parrish, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms. Yasha was taken to Allegheny General Hospital but died shortly after arrival.

Investigators reported the gun was on the floor and not stored securely, contradicting Parrish’s claim that it had been kept in a safe. Authorities charged Parrish with illegal firearm possession and indicated the weapon may have been bought illegally for him by a third party. The case prompted questions about how the gun became accessible in a home where children were present.

If anyone knew Yasha, the household, or has information about how the firearm was obtained or stored, please share what is known.