Authorities in South Carolina are asking the public to assist them with information as they investigate a shooting that has left a 7-year-old girl in critical condition. Per ABC News, the minor, identified as Skylar Baker, was sleeping at home when a discharged bullet struck her head.
The Pageland Police Department said the shooting occurred at a Pageland home in the wee hours of Sunday. Authorities said officers arrived at the scene after they received a report about the home being hit by gunfire.
Police said Skylar suffered “life-threatening injuries,” and she was initially rendered first aid before being airlifted to a hospital. Police said they suspect the victim was struck during a drive-by shooting. Authorities also said the suspect remains at large, and the shooting was a “careless act of violence.”
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Skylar’s mother, Essence Chambers, told the news outlet that her daughter was hit in the right side of her brain after the bullet penetrated their home. She also said her daughter has been put on a ventilator, and her condition remains critical.
Chambers said a plate has since been inserted in her daughter’s head, and she is scheduled to go under the knife for a craniotomy. “Before all of this, she was completely healthy,” Chambers, who labeled her daughter as a “ball of energy” and “happy child,” told ABC News. “I want everybody to keep praying for her.”
Police in a press release said they would be glad if “someone will come forward with answers as to who was involved in this case.”
“We are heartbroken that this little girl is suffering due to the actions of someone who had no regard for the life of others. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the family,” authorities added.
Pageland Police Department Chief Dean Short on Monday also said what happened was a “terrible thing, especially in a small community.” “What matters is we come together, support one another and take a stand against this type of violence,” Short added.
