6-Year-Old accidentally shoots and kills 5-year-old sister, SA disturbed by death: "Total negligence"

• A five-year-old girl was shot in the head by her six-year-old brother in Bethelsdorp in the Eastern Cape
• She was rushed to hospital in critical condition and died from her injures shortly after and police are investigating
• Cases of culpable homicide and defeating the ends of justice have been opened following the child's death

EASTERN CAPE - Police are investigating the death of a five-year-old girl who was shot and killed by her six-year-old brother in Bethelsdorp. The child was rushed to hospital in critical condition and later died.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said cases of culpable homicide and defeating the ends of justice have been opened following the death. According to TimesLIVE, the incident occurred midday when the siblings were playing with the firearm at a house in Ext 31.

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Naidu said the child was accidentally shot in her head.

When police arrived at the scene, the firearm was allegedly removed and could not be found, The South African reported.

Responding to the horrific incident, researcher at Gun Free South Africa, Claire Taylor, spoke exclusively to Briefly News and said:

“If you own a gun, do not for a moment believe that children at your home will obey instructions to never touch or handle it. Gun proofing children is ineffective and even dangerous; it makes children responsible for an adult gun owner who has violated the law by failing to store his gun unloaded and locked in a safe.”

She encouraged parents not to have guns at home.

“Children are curious and observant, they know their parents’ hiding places, including where they hide safe keys. At the same time, parents are human, we make mistakes, and there’s always a risk that we’ll forget to lock the gun away or hide the keys. The bottom line is that the best option to secure your children’s safety is to have no guns at home,” added Taylor.

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The incident leaves South Africans outraged and disturbed:

Thometsana Khiba said:

“What a tragic incident. The gun owner will forever regret leaving their gun at the reach of children. No wonder they hid the gun, it was just shocking. They will eventually have to hand it over to the police.”

Eve Steenekamp wrote:

“This is total negligence by the owner. He should have a safe in his house. So sad!”

Vilencia Camm posted:

“There are so many similar tragedies because the parents are irresponsible with their firearms. This parent lost a child and not to mention the fact that the brother must grow up and will be mentally tortured because he killed his sister.”

Isaac Nkabinde added:

“Negligence from parents again. Some people don’t deserve to own firearms. RIP little one.”

11 year old boy finds gun hidden under bed, shoots and kills cousin, 7, in Eastern Cape

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported police in the Eastern Cape have launched an investigation into the shooting death of a seven-year-old boy in the small, rural town of Libode on Sunday.

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The incident happened after the deceased boy’s 11-year-old cousin found a firearm hidden under their grandfather’s bed while they were playing.

Source: Briefly News