Fatal shooting of girl, 3, believed accidental

Jace Radke

Wednesday, March 20, 2002 | 9:20 a.m.

A 3-year-old girl was killed Tuesday in what Metro Police say appears to be an accidental shooting by the girl's 12-year-old brother.

The shooting happened about 3 p.m. at the Coral Garden apartments, 5421 E. Harmon Avenue, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

"It appears that the 3-year-old was probably not the one that fired the gun," Monahan said. "Everything at this point is pointing toward an accidental shooting."

The case will be sent to the Clark County district attorney's office to be reviewed by prosecutors, who will determine if anyone will face charges in the shooting, Sgt. Kevin Manning said.

The girl's mother reportedly left her daughter and 12-year-old son at the apartment near Boulder Highway so that she could pick her husband up from work, Monahan said.

She was only gone for about 20 minutes, but when she returned home her daughter was dead.

Natasha Nachbauer, a 16-year-old who lives above the apartment where the girl was found, said that she awoke from a nap when she heard the screams of the 12-year-old son.

"I just heard him screaming at the top of his lungs," Nachbauer said. "He was just yelling, 'Somebody help me. My sister is dead.' I didn't really hear a gunshot, but I remember the screams."

The shotgun was not left out where children could easily get it, Monahan said.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting, and said that any charges would be premature at this point.

If a gun is not carelessly left where children can access it, parents are generally not charged in cases where children are left at home and find a gun, police said.

"Not unless there is extraordinary recklessness, and that doesn't seem to be the case here," Monahan said.