A Kansas couple was charged with felonies following the deaths of two of their children, who were shot after another child in the family found a loaded shotgun that authorities said was not properly secured.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) reported that Aaron French, 37, and Makayla French, 28, face four counts of aggravated child endangerment.

According to the investigation, the incident occurred on March 28 at the family home located in Brookville, a community located about 100 miles northwest of Wichita.

Officers determined that a young child had access to the loaded shotgun and shot his siblings Paxton French, 8, and Lilly French, 5.

Lilly died at the scene, while Paxton was taken by helicopter to a hospital, where he died on April 3 due to the severity of his injuries.

The authorities did not specify how the minor found the weapon or how many shots were fired.

The parents will appear in court at the end of July

According to court documents, the Ellsworth County Prosecutor's Office filed the charges last Friday believing that the parents acted recklessly by allowing their children to be exposed to a risk of physical harm by keeping a loaded gun without proper safety measures.

Court records indicate that Aaron French and Makayla French are due in court on July 28.

The obituaries of the minors describe Paxton as a child who was passionate about driving his go-kart and his four-wheeled vehicle, in addition to enjoying the video game Minecraft with his brothers. He also dreamed of joining the United States Army when he grew up.

Lilly, for her part, was a fan of K-pop, enjoyed singing, swimming and spending time outdoors. Her family remembered her as a loving girl, a lover of animals and school, with a caring personality and a special taste for dresses, shoes and boots.