SOUTH L.A., June 26, 2007 (KABC-TV) - A two-month old girl is killed after being accidentally shot with a pellet gun. The baby's teenage uncle is now facing a possible murder charge.
It's an unusual case in that you hardly hear of a pellet gun being used in a fatal shooting, but that's the case Newton area detectives are dealing with. It happened Monday afternoon, and the girl's uncle, a 17-year-old, is now facing a murder charge.
The family of two-month-old Melody Rojas had no comment to Eyewitness News as they and others gathered in their East 31st Street apartment.
According to police, the baby girl was in her mother's arms when she approached the porch. The mom's 17-year-old brother was sitting on the porch handling an air-powered pellet rifle.
Lt. Paul Stalker, LAPD: "We know the child died as a result of his actions."
Capt. Rigo Romero, LAPD: "The weapon was pointed at the child."
From the apartment complex, the baby was rushed by paramedics to county U.S.C. Hospital, where she died from a head wound.
Police were called in after the baby arrived at the hospital.
Lt. Paul Stalker: "Once the baby was at the hospital and was examined by the attending physicians, at that point it was discovered by the medical staff that the police needed to respond to the hospital."
Shortly after, detectives arrived at the apartment complex and were led to the weapon.
Det. Sunny Romero, LAPD: "I was present at the house when the weapon was recovered. It was the only weapon we could locate at that time. It was directed by a relative who showed us where the weapon was hidden."
Late Tuesday afternoon, the mother of the two-month-old baby girl spoke out.
Name undisclosed, mother of Melody Rojas: "It was an accident [Continues to speak Spanish]."
She explained it was an accident that happened on the porch Monday afternoon, and it shouldn't have happened. She says she wants to warn parents, if you have weapons in your home, get rid of them because they're dangerous.
The mother's younger brother, the 17-year-old uncle of the little girl, is now in jail facing a murder charge. The District Attorney's office will determine if the uncle should remain in the juvenile justice system, or possibly be tried as an adult.
It's an unusual case in that you hardly hear of a pellet gun being used in a fatal shooting, but that's the case Newton area detectives are dealing with. It happened Monday afternoon, and the girl's uncle, a 17-year-old, is now facing a murder charge.
The family of two-month-old Melody Rojas had no comment to Eyewitness News as they and others gathered in their East 31st Street apartment.
According to police, the baby girl was in her mother's arms when she approached the porch. The mom's 17-year-old brother was sitting on the porch handling an air-powered pellet rifle.
Lt. Paul Stalker, LAPD: "We know the child died as a result of his actions."
Capt. Rigo Romero, LAPD: "The weapon was pointed at the child."
From the apartment complex, the baby was rushed by paramedics to county U.S.C. Hospital, where she died from a head wound.
Police were called in after the baby arrived at the hospital.
Lt. Paul Stalker: "Once the baby was at the hospital and was examined by the attending physicians, at that point it was discovered by the medical staff that the police needed to respond to the hospital."
Shortly after, detectives arrived at the apartment complex and were led to the weapon.
Det. Sunny Romero, LAPD: "I was present at the house when the weapon was recovered. It was the only weapon we could locate at that time. It was directed by a relative who showed us where the weapon was hidden."
Late Tuesday afternoon, the mother of the two-month-old baby girl spoke out.
Name undisclosed, mother of Melody Rojas: "It was an accident [Continues to speak Spanish]."
She explained it was an accident that happened on the porch Monday afternoon, and it shouldn't have happened. She says she wants to warn parents, if you have weapons in your home, get rid of them because they're dangerous.
The mother's younger brother, the 17-year-old uncle of the little girl, is now in jail facing a murder charge. The District Attorney's office will determine if the uncle should remain in the juvenile justice system, or possibly be tried as an adult.
