Girl, 3, shot in neck remembered as ‘an angel’
Flowers have been laid outside the Lalor Park house where a three-year-old girl died. Photo: ABC
A three-year-old girl who died after being shot in the neck with an illegal sawn-off shotgun at a home in Sydney’s west has been remembered as “an angel”.
Emergency crews were called to a house on Danny Road in Lalor Park just after 8pm on Sunday after receiving reports of gunfire and yelling.
The girl’s father, 43, was charged with not keeping firearms safe, possession of an unauthorised, prohibited and unregistered firearm, and breaching an apprehended violence order (AVO).
He will face court next month.
On Tuesday morning, a single bunch of flowers was left out the front of the property with the card reading: “Taken way too soon. RIP Angel safely in the arms of God. Love always xxxooo”.
The ABC understands the girl’s three brothers, aged between five and eight, all attended a local Catholic school.
Greg Whitby, executive director of Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, said the school’s community was “devastated”.
The three-year-old girl (right) with her older brothers. Photo: Facebook
“Specialist staff and counsellors have been at the school today and will remain onsite to work with staff and students as needed,” he said in a statement on Monday night.
“The community is united in prayer for this young child and will offer every support to the family.”
Police said the girl’s mother was in the house when her daughter was shot and the father was also nearby.
She was seen by witnesses crying and yelling at a man at the scene.
Lalor Park woman Letisha Salas said the girl’s death was heartbreaking and distressing.
“I just came because I have a son and it was really hard to hear, it broke my heart,” she said.
“I felt very sad, I just looked at my son and I couldn’t even believe how a parent would be feeling, so we came, me and my friend, to pay our respects today.”
Another local Kiora Parsons said she did not know the girl’s family but felt compelled to offer her condolences.
“It’s devastating, it’s heartbreaking, it’s a very cruel world,” she said.
“I’ve just come to show my respects and my condolences to the family of the little girl.”
-ABC
