HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. — A 3-year-old North Carolina girl who shot herself in the head on Christmas Day died Tuesday, authorities said.
Aylee Gordon, of Henderson County, died in an Asheville hospital, according to a news release from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.
The child’s father, retired Henderson County Sheriff’s Capt. Tim Gordon, called 911 on the way to a fire station about 2:45 p.m. EST on Saturday, WYFF-TV reported. Tim Gordon said he was heading there because he was having trouble getting a signal on his cellphone, the television station reported.
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— WYFF News 4 (@wyffnews4) December 29, 2021
According to a transcript of the 911 call, the girl and her family were in Tim Gordon’s truck when they decided to pull over to let her ride her new bicycle, WPSA-TV reported. The girl had an accident on her bicycle, and her mother, Anya Gordon, was going to take her home to get a change of clothes, according to the 911 call.
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When Aylee Gordon climbed back into the truck there was apparently a gun inside, the television station reported. The child then accidentally shot herself in the head. Tim Gordon told dispatchers he did not know the gun was inside his truck, WSPA reported.
“She picked up a pistol and shot herself in the head by accident,” Tim Gordon said in the 911 call. “We didn’t know. She’s got a head wound.”
The girl was airlifted to a hospital in Asheville, where she died.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the child, who suffered a gunshot wound on Christmas Day in Henderson County N.C. has passed away at Mission Hospital,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Any charges in this case will be at the discretion of the NCSBI and the district attorney’s office once the investigation has been completed and submitted to the district attorney for review.”
The sheriff’s office said the gun the toddler fired was not a Henderson County service weapon, WTVD-TV reported.
“Our beautiful little angel gained her wings last night,” Tim and Anya Gordon wrote in an update of a GoFundMe page for the child. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the tremendous support to our family and appreciate continuous prayers.”
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