In a tragic incident, a US father has been charged by the authorities after he fired a bullet to shoot a bird, but ended up killing his daughter. The man, identified as David Schultheis of Prairie Du Rocher in Illinois, was attempting to gun down a buzzard that had flown into a brick building on July 21 when the bullet passed through the bird, pierced a window and struck his daughter, Emma Schultheis.
Emergency responders were called to the scene and immediately started administering CPR and other life-saving treatments. Ms Schultheis was rushed to a St Louis-area hospital but was later pronounced dead, according to a report in the New York Post. She was due to turn 15 in six days.
The sheriff's department handed the case to Monroe County State's Attorney's Office last month and filed formal charges.
"There are no words that can adequately express the heartbreak and gravity of this tragic event," the sheriff's department said. "The death of a child under any circumstances is profoundly devastating."
"While this incident may have been preventable, our obligation is not to dwell in speculation but to uncover and present the facts with integrity," they added.
Duo charged
On September 2, Monroe County State's Attorney Ryan Webb charged Schultheis with reckless discharge of a firearm, while a woman named Karen Schwarze was charged with concealment of a homicidal death and obstruction of justice. Authorities did not specify Schwarze's connection to the victim.
Notably, Schwarze hid the .40-calibre pistol used in the shooting and pressured others not to speak about the incident to the law enforcement agencies.
"The investigation revealed that following the execution of search warrants, Ms. Schwarze attempted to influence others not to speak with law enforcement officers during the early stages of the investigation," deputies said.
Schultheis voluntarily surrendered at the Monroe County Jail and was released pending court. Meanwhile, Schwarze is still arranging to turn herself in.
