Parents Charged in Shooting Death of 4-Year-Old in NE Philly Home

Days after a 4-year-old girl was shot and killed inside her Northeast Philadelphia home, her parents face involuntary manslaughter charges for what the city's district attorney called a "preventable" death.

Kastari 'Star' Nunez died at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital early Tuesday morning after she was shot in the stomach inside a home along the 2900 block of Secane Drive, authorities said. Police said they only learned of the shooting after a 911 call from the hospital.

When officers arrived at the home they found a blood trail near the front door of a home, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

Inside the home, investigators recovered a .357 revolver on a living room sofa, police said. The gun was loaded with five bullets and police found a spent bullet casing nearby.

The girl's parents, another man and another woman were home at the time, police said.

On Thursday, District Attorney Larry Krasner announced involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and obstruction of justice charges against Star's parents, Alhakim Nunez and Iris Rodriguez. Nunez also is accused of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Krasner said Star's death "was more than a preventable tragedy, it was also a crime."

Both 29-year-old parents remained jailed Thursday -- Nunez on $1 million and Rodriguez on $500,000. Online court records don't list an attorney who could comment for either parent.

“My office has charged both parents for their roles in the completely preventable death of their child, along with a third individual who was also present at the time of this incident," Krasner said.

The DA charged that third person, 31-year-old Ashley Gushue, with obstruction of justice and making false statements. She was held on $100,000 bail and court records don't list an attorney who could comment on her behalf.

In the hours after the shooting, the city's top police officer said the mishandling of gun led to Star's death.

"The loss of a young life is especially tragic, particularly when it is the result of the irresponsible handling of a firearm," Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.

Authorities have yet to reveal who pulled the trigger, but police said Tuesday that "it is extremely unlikely that the victim shot herself."

An angel statue and flower were placed outside of the family's home in honor of the young girl.

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