Two brothers arrested in connection with his death were in court Thursday.
Prosecutors said Javonn Cannon left a loaded pistol lying on a bed and then left the room to smoke marijuana.
When he came back, he said 5-year-old Dakari Weldon was playing with the gun, and that it went off when he tried to take it away.
Javonn Cannon faces a preliminary charge of homicide by negligent handling of a firearm. Jovonn Cannon is being held for allegedly leaving a loaded firearm within a child's reach.
Police said the shooting occurred at about 1:43 p.m. Monday at a home in the 2000-block of 60th Street. Officers were contacted by staff at Froedtert South Hospital - Kenosha Campus on 8th Avenue.
Police said two people drove the boy from the house to a hospital a few blocks away and just dropped him before driving off.