A child from the Czech Republic died instantly when a hand grenade apparently exploded in a car during a family holiday in Croatia, police in the Balkan country said on Friday.
The 46-year-old father of the child, who was around nine years old, was taken into custody after the incident on Wednesday, according to a police report.
Two women were seriously injured, as well as the child's father, who suffered minor injuries. Among other infractions, he is accused of committing a serious violation of public safety.
According to the report, the man ignored warning signs in Croatian and English and entered the marked danger zone of a military training area near the town of Knin with family members.
He let the child take a device, probably a hand grenade, that it had found into the car "in the reckless belief that there would be no undesirable and life-threatening consequences."
The vehicle later had to stop in the central town of Bilišane due to a breakdown. The explosive charge detonated as the child attempted to remove it from the car.
Police were investigating the incident at both locations.