PALM COAST – An 18-month-old girl was shot and killed in Palm Coast Sunday night, according to a statement Monday from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. The incident occurred on Ranwood Lane, part of the R Section neighborhood.
At around 11:30 pm, the FCSO communications center received a 911 call in which the caller frantically informed them a baby had been shot, the FCSO’s statement said. Police arrived and the child was quickly hospitalized for her injuries. She was pronounced dead at Halifax hospital in Daytona.
As of Monday, one arrest has been made in the shooting: 21-year-old C.J. Nelson was arrested and charged with violation of probation. No one has been charged for the actions that led to the toddler’s death. Prior charges of Nelson’s include marijuana possession and illegal concealed carry of a firearm.
Sheriff Rick Staly delivered a press conference in Bunnell Monday afternoon on the shooting, saying that the FCSO believes it may have been accidental and that none of the eight occupants of the home have yet been ruled out. Nelson has been identified as a person of interest in the shooting, but any charges beyond his probation violation have yet to be handed down.
The FCSO’s investigation into the shooting is still ongoing, and detectives are interviewing witnesses. Staly alluded that he believes Nelson may be charged with the girl’s death when sufficient evidence is gathered to do so. Multiple narcotics were found at the scene, including marijuana and what detectives believe is either cocaine or heroin. Also confirmed by Staly is that the girl did not accidentally shoot herself.
What a terrible thing to happen to an innocent child. Whoever is found to have killed this child needs to be put in front of the family and let them shoot him.