Officials: 31-Year-Old Daisy Vasquez Charged After 12-Year-Old Daughter Fatally Shot By Son
COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. (CBS) -- The Montgomery County DA's office has charged 31-year-old Daisy Vasquez in the fatal shooting of her 12-year-old daughter by her son in Collegeville earlier this month. Vasquez, of Collegeville, has been charged with a third-degree felony of endangering the welfare of children, possession of a firearm by a minor-responsibility of adult, hindering apprehension or prosecution related to lying to detectives and a misdemeanor of recklessly endangering another person.
Police responded to a shooting inside the family's residence on Larchwood Court in Collegeville on March 19 just before 8 a.m.
The responding officers found the 12-year-old girl lying in the living room suffering a single gunshot wound to her chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation found that Daisy Vasquez asked her son to go outside to her vehicle and retrieve a 9mm handgun that she legally owned. Detectives also recovered surveillance video that showed the shooting.
Officials say the video shows the son entering the home with the handgun in his right hand and then pointing it at his sister. Seconds later, while he was pointing the gun in the direction of his sister it discharged and the girl collapsed.
Vasquez reportedly lied to detectives about the events that led up to the death of her daughter whose funeral was this past weekend.
"The death of this girl is a tragedy, but it could have been prevented," District Attorney Kevin Steele said. "A pivotal aspect is the mother asking her child to go outside to the driveway to retrieve her handgun from the car—a handgun that had a bullet chambered and ready to shoot. A parent has a legal responsibility to protect their children, and a handgun owner has a legal responsibility to keep their guns out of the hands of children. This defendant failed on both counts. Now a young girl is dead, and a boy is facing murder charges."
A preliminary hearing is set for 1 p.m., April 27, 2021.