PHILADELPHIA, PA – The District Attorney’s Homicides & Non-Fatal Shootings Unit charged a 54-year-old woman with Involuntary Manslaughter and related offenses on Friday in connection to the shooting death of her 2-year-old granddaughter.
On Thursday morning, Philadelphia Police responded to a residence on the 1600 block of North 29th Street. There, they found the toddler with a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
The toddler was privately transported to Temple University Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 12:33 pm.
The investigation revealed that prior to the shooting, the toddler and her two cousins – aged 14 and 9 – were in a second floor room when they found an unsecured handgun. The handgun, subsequently discharged, had previously been reported stolen in North Carolina.
The 14-year-old cousin, diagnosed with severe Down syndrome, was present during the incident. Philadelphia Police encourages anyone with information about the incident to come forward.