The child was taken to a hospital, where she remains in critical condition. (Representational image)
In a tragic incident, a 2-year-old girl was critically injured after she reportedly shot herself in the head, authorities in the US state of California said.
A woman called 911 to report that a child had shot herself inside a home in Countryfield Drive in Sacramento County yesterday, the County Sheriff's Sergeant Tony Turnbull said.
The child was taken to a hospital, where she remains in critical condition, Los Angles Times reported. Two women were at the home when officers responded to the scene, Turnbull said. Homicide and child abuse detectives are working jointly to determine what events led to the shooting, he said.
"We don't have a crystal ball. We can't go off the initial 911 call," he said.
The gun has not been identified, and investigators are waiting to enter the home, located in an unincorporated part of the county just southeast of Sacramento.
"The house has been frozen until [investigators] can get a search warrant to look at the gun and see if it's even in the residence," Turnbull said.
"It is extremely tragic," he added.
"Although the cause of the shooting is under investigation, it is a reminder to ensure guns and firearms are stored securely," he said.