DA: 3-Year-Old Accidentally Shot Herself In Chest In Mt. Washington
MT. WASHINGTON (KDKA) -- Yasha Ross had her whole life ahead of her.
Her babysitter called the 3-year-old lovable and passionate.
That all ended Sunday afternoon when she got her hands on a gun inside a house in Mt. Washington.
"It appears that she got possession of a weapon that was in the house and shot herself in the upper chest," Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said.
Zappala indicated that the gun involved was in the possession of a man named Paul Parrish. It was his home where the child was killed.
The toddler and her mother, who live in Moon Township, had been visiting Parrish.
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"Parrish has a history of violence, he is a felon not to possess a handgun. That was his handgun. A warrant was issued for him yesterday and we are looking for him right now," Zappala said.
U.S. Marshals are assisting Pittsburgh Police in finding Parrish and the federal government may file charges as well.
"As a felon not to possess and a child loses her life because he does indeed possess, there is principal here that would make it appropriate to prosecute him for the homicide. It would be a degree of manslaughter," Zappala said.
One other person could be charged in this case.
According to Zappala, a woman purchased that gun for Parrish. That is being investigated as a "straw purchase," wherein someone buys a firearm and lies about who ultimately will possess the weapon. That's a federal offense.
