Groesbeck teen opens eyes after he was shot in the head on Christmas; remains in ICU

GROESBECK, Texas (KWTX) - A 14-year-old boy accidentally shot with a “small caliber rifle” on Christmas squeezed a nurse’s fingers and opened his eyes while at McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple.

The boy’s mother identified him as Ryen Harris-Contreras and told KWTX he was shot in the head.

The boy underwent surgery and is in the intensive care unit. A portion of his skull was removed during the surgery, his mother said.

According to the mother, Ryen tried to open his eyes while coughing.

“Shortly after, he began rubbing his thumb on his leg ... he began moving his hand,” his mother shared.

“The nurse then asked him if he could squeeze her finger and he did. Then she said, ‘I see you moving your leg,’ and he moved it even more,” the mother further said.

“We are only on day five from the time of his injury. This is the day the doctors said would be the worst, but God is showing them otherwise.”

The shooting happened in a home outside Groesbeck at about 8:20 p.m. on Dec. 25.

The sheriff said an investigation revealed another boy in the home “thought the rifle was unloaded when it fired” and struck the 14-year-old.

“It seems that this was an accidental discharge of the weapon rather than intentional,” the sheriff’s office said.

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