ST. LOUIS, MO – An appalling incident occurred in the city’s north-end Baden neighborhood early Tuesday, leaving a 4-year-old girl dead, according to St. Louis police. Investigations so far point to the tragic event as an accidental shooting that happened while a group of young children, all under the age of 10, were left unattended in a house.
Police received a 911 call from the Thrush block in the early hours, where officers discovered the nearly unconscious 4-year-old victim upon arrival.
In a time-critical move, St. Louis police spokesperson Mitch McCoy relayed the responding officers’ quick decision to transport the critically wounded child in their own patrol vehicle, administering CPR during the drive. Despite their resolute attempts, the officers were unable to revive the little girl, who later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.
Initial reports from the ongoing investigation detail that one of the children in the house accessed a firearm, leading to the inadvertent shooting of the 4-year-old. Following the incident, one of the young witnesses called 911, notifying authorities of the emergency.
“No officer expects to arrive on a scene and see this. And our officers tried to save that child’s life,” McCoy said, voicing the department’s collective sorrow over the sorrowful incident.
Among the children present during the tragedy, another reportedly suffered minor facial injuries. As investigations unfold, no arrests have been made and the name of the deceased child is yet to be disclosed.