Boy, 12, is charged with manslaughter in his nine-year-old sister's shooting death 'after he handed loaded gun to their cousin, five, who pulled the trigger' while they were home alone
A 12-year-old Philadelphia boy has been arrested in the shooting death of his nine-year-old sister for allegedly providing a loaded gun to their five-year-old cousin, who then fired it at the girl.
The boy, who has not been named, on Wednesday was arrested and charged as a juvenile with involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person for his suspected role in the death of his sister, Nyssa Davis.
Nyssa, her older brother and younger cousin were home alone at the siblings' North Philadelphia home on the morning of January 20 when the five-year-old shot a round at the nine-year-old girl, which struck her in the right side of her head.
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Nyssa Davis, nine (pictured left and right with her mother), has been identified as the Philadelphia child who was shot and killed by her five-year-old cousin on January 20. Her 12-year-old brother has been charged in her death
Nyssa, her brother and their cousin was alone at the family's home on North Bouvier Street in Philadelphia when the shooting took place
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office had already charged the brother and sister's father, 39-year-old Blake Davis, with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, of corruption of minors, recklessly endangering another person and illegal firearms violations, reported 6abc.
Police said the gun used in the fatal shooting belonged to Davis.
During a vigil last week, Nyssa's mother told CBS Philly that Davis loved their daughter 'to death,' adding: 'I know Blake right now is crying. He's broken on the inside.'
Nyssa's father, Blake Davis, 39, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and gun violations
The mother blamed video games and 'Nerf guns' for giving children false ideas about mortality.
'My son kept thinking she had another life,' the woman said at the somber event, which saw friends and family release pink and purple balloons into the sky. 'And he woke up this morning saying, "Mommy, it's going to be OK. It was an accident. She's going to come back."'
The deadly shooting took place in the 2300 block of North Bouvier Street in North Philadelphia at around 11am.
Nyssa's older brother called 911 and reported the shooting. The girl was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries before 2pm, reported Fox29.
Police officers who responded to the scene on the block lined with boarded-up, blighted homes recovered two guns from the residence.
Nyssa died after suffering a gunshot wound to the right side of her head
Nyssa's mother , seen at a vigil last week, said her father loved their daughter 'to death'
People gathered on January 22 outside Nyssa's school and released pink and purple balloons into the sky in the girl's honor
According to sources talking to CBS Philadelphia, the father of the nine-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy was not legally permitted to own a gun.
Patrick Flood, who described himself to Philadelphia Inquirer as a life-long friend of the father, said Nyssa was known to her loved ones as Butterfly and was 'quiet, nice, peaceful, loving.'
A next-door neighbor told the newspaper that the father 'was always out in the street.'
'It's heartbreaking. It's absolutely heartbreaking,' Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said. 'There are too many guns out there, and we have to do better in terms of protecting our children from gun violence of all types. And we've had enough.'
Nyssa was a fourth-grader at Thomas M. Peirce School, where her legacy will live on in the form of a grant that will be awarded each year to a student who exhibits commitment to education and strength of character, reported Daily Voice.