Paulding County authorities believe the Saturday evening shooting that killed an 8-year-old girl was an accident.
The victim, whose name has not been released, was shot once in the head and died as she was being transported to WellStar Paulding Hospital, said Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ashley Henson. The child’s mother, whose name also has not been released, was shot in the leg and was taken to Floyd Hospital in Rome for surgery.
The woman, 45, remained hospitalized early Sunday, but her condition was unknown.
The shooting happened at a home on Fairview Drive in Dallas and was being investigated as an accident, Henson said. Witnesses told authorities a handgun fired unexpectedly after it was dropped around 5 p.m. Saturday.
The mother and child were hit by the stray bullet. Two other children and one adult were in the house at the time of the shooting, but were not injured.
“At this point it still appears to be accidental,” Henson said. “There are no charges at this point.”
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