5-year-old boy shoots and kills 2-year-old sister with child sized rifle

Tragedy struck the town of Burkesville, Kentucky May 1, 2013 when a 5-year-old boy accidentally shot his 2-year-old sister in the chest with a rifle he had received as a gift. The names of the children are not being released.

The mother, Stephanie Sparks, claims she was cleaning the kitchen in the family trailer while her son played with his rifle on their property in rural Kentucky. Suddenly she heard the distinct sound of gunfire. She ran to check on her children and found her daughter mortally wounded according to the local report of newsobserver.com.

The child was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after.

The weapon, a miniature .22 caliber rifle, was made by the company Cricket, which specializes in crafting weapons for children and boasts on its website about their products bringing families closer together.

A Kentucky State Police spokesman, Trooper Billy Gregory, says that it is too early to rule out whether criminal charges will be filed against the parents.

Article originally published in my now discontinued column on Examiner.com on March 5, 2013.