Father charged after 10-year-old allegedly shoots 7-month-old daughter

( Post Millennial )

A 10-year-old Missouri boy has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after police say he shot a 7 month-old infant in the head. Because of Missouri law protecting the identities of juvenile suspects, authorities have not publicly released the boy's name. The case is expected to proceed through the juvenile court system unless prosecutors seek to have the child certified to stand trial as an adult, though no such request has been announced, per FirstAlert 4.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said the officer who responded to the shooting found the baby identified as Kiyomi Parker with a gunshot wound to the head and attempted to perform first aid. Parker did not survive her injuries.

Police also arrested the victim's father, Ca'Marion Pawnell, 19, of Illinois, who was charged with first-degree child endangerment resulting in the death of a child, second-degree murder, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child by creating a substantial risk. Pawnell is being held without bond.

According to court records, Pawnell admitted that he owned the firearm and that it was stored under a mattress in the home, where the 10-year-old charged with murder knew where it was located and had handled it according to FirstAlert 4.

Authorities have not revealed whether there were any familial ties between Pawnell and the 10-year-old charged with first-degree murder. The case has drawn widespread attention because of the suspect's age, with local reports indicating he is believed to be among the youngest people ever charged with murder in Missouri.

Prosecutors have not announced when the juvenile will make his next court appearance, and investigators have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.