BELLMEAD, Texas — The call came in just after 3 p.m. on June 4.
An anonymous tip reported a small infant inside an apartment on Bellmead Drive — along with narcotics and firearms that were within reach of the child.
When Bellmead police arrived to conduct a welfare check, they did not even need to open the door to know something was wrong.
The overwhelming smell of burnt marijuana was already seeping through the closed apartment door.
What Officers Discovered Inside
Once inside the apartment, officers located a 1-year-old child.
As they moved through the space, two handguns came into view — both unsecured, both sitting in plain sight.
One of those handguns was on a low-level coffee table. The kind a toddler can walk up to, grab, and pull down within seconds.
Neither weapon was stored safely. Neither was out of reach.
Drugs Found Next to the Second Firearm
In the kitchen, officers found a desk — and on that desk sat the second firearm alongside marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
A pipe with burnt marijuana still inside was part of what was recovered.
According to the arrest affidavit, everything in the apartment was accessible. Nothing was locked away or secured from the child.
The Arrest
Lane Venable, 28, was taken into custody and charged with endangering a child by criminal negligence.
In Texas, that charge is classified as a state jail felony — carrying a potential sentence of 180 days to two years in a state jail facility.
Bond was set at $10,000.
A Reminder of What Is at Stake
Cases like this one are a stark reminder of how quickly an unsecured firearm can turn into a tragedy.
Toddlers do not understand danger. They reach for what they can see. A handgun left on a coffee table at a 1-year-old’s eye level is not just a legal issue — it is a life-or-death risk that can play out in moments.
Texas law takes child endangerment seriously, and law enforcement officials consistently urge gun owners to use trigger locks, gun safes, or secured storage — especially in homes with young children.
The anonymous tip that set this welfare check in motion may well have changed the outcome for this child.
If you ever suspect a child is in an unsafe situation, you can report it anonymously to local police or child protective services.
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