Jania Ashlynn
On Sunday in Texas, police reported that a 3-year-old girl had fatally shot her 4-year-old sister after getting her hands on a loaded gun within the family’s home.
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At approximately 8 p.m, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported that a gunshot was heard while two girls were in a bedroom inside an apartment located at 9955 Bammel North Houston Road in Houston.
Tragic Events
KTRK reported that five adults, including the mother and stepfather of the sisters, were in other parts of the residence when the incident occurred. Gonzalez stated that the children were not being supervised in the bedroom, as the adults assumed that one of them was keeping an eye on the girls.
“The 3-year-old gained access to a loaded, semi-automatic pistol. Family members heard a single gunshot. They ran into the room and found the small toddler, 4 years old, unresponsive,” the Sheriff stated.
The child was pronounced dead by the time that authorities arrived at the scene. The names of the children have yet to be released. “It just seems like another tragic story of, again, a child gaining access to a firearm and hurting someone else and this time there was a fatal shot,” the sheriff told a local news outlet.
Further Investigation
It is up to the Harris County District Attorney’s office if the adults will face any charges associated with the tragedy. The police investigation is still ongoing. It’s not yet known who the gun is registered to or if it is legally registered at all.
The sheriff expressed condolences for the “very preventable” death of the little girl.
“Our hearts are broken. Our deputies are pretty shaken up,” Gonzalez stated. “The community is impacted when a child loses their life in this way.”
