Police: Man Shot, Slit 3-Year-Old Daughter's Throat In Temple Hills
TEMPLE HILLS , Md. (WJZ)-- There are gruesome new details in the death of a three-year-old little girl. Laila Miller is dead after her father shot at her family, murdered her and led police on a chase.
Rick Ritter has more.
Three-year-old Laila Miller was found inside the car with a gunshot wound and her throat slit---and investigators say there's no doubt her own father is behind the slaying.
Police say 38-year-old Marine veteran Frederick Miller is behind a gruesome rampage that took the life of his three-year-old daughter.
"I don't know how you deal with the emotional, the physical pain of losing a three-year-old," said Chief Magaw.
Saturday afternoon, Miller went to the home where Laila lived with her grandparents and mother. Police say he shot her maternal grandfather and then walked inside the house and fired at her great-grandmother. Neighbors watched one of the neighbors drop in the driveway.
"He was laying on the ground on his stomach," said a neighbor.
Police say surveillance video from a neighbor's security camera showed Miller walking out of the house with Laila. Then he took off.
"Miller fled from the officers and a pursuit ensued," said Major Jason Johnson.
Miller pulled over twice and exchanged gunfire with police. The second time, he was fatally struck. Inside the car, though, a heartbreaking discovery.
"Somewhere in the middle of the chase, he made a conscious decision to kill his daughter," said Magaw.
Three-year-old Laila was shot in the head and her throat was slit. Shortly after, she died in a nearby hospital.
Police say the bullet used was not consistent with any fired by officers. A knife with blood was also found inside the car.
"There's no one else who could have killed this baby girl other than her father," Magaw said.
Neighbors say domestic problems were growing at the house. WJZ pored through documents dating back to 2011 showing Miller was engaged in a custody battle with the girl's mother.
Investigators say this is the writing on the wall for how easily domestic problems can take a tragic turn.
Police say they had no prior contact with the family about any domestic problems.
Both grandparents remain in critical condition.
The girl's mother was not present at the time of the shooting. She was found unharmed.
The officers involved in the shooting were not injured. All six were placed on administrative leave.
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