Baltimore County police say adults were in the house when the seven-year-old was shot on Tuesday afternoon, with no charges filed as homicide detectives examine the circumstances
A seven-year-old girl who died after an accidental shooting at a home in Milford Mill, Maryland, has been named by police as Alayah Terrell. Officers were called to the 7800 block of Selgrave Road at around 3.15pm on Tuesday, where Baltimore County police said they found the child suffering a gunshot wound to her upper body. She was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead. Police believe adults were in the home at the time, and no charges have been filed at this stage of the investigation.
“We don’t know how the shooting took place, but we do believe it was accidental in nature,” said Baltimore County Police Detective Trae Corbin. “Anytime a child’s life is lost, it’s absolutely tragic.”
The girl’s identity was released by police on Wednesday. Neighbour Shauntelle Alston, who has a seven-year-old of her own, described the death as “heartbreaking”.
“My heart goes out to them. I’m lost for words. I couldn’t even imagine how that would feel,” she said. “I can say, just prayers go up to the family. It’s a lot to lose a child.”
Homicide detectives leading the investigation
The case is being handled by homicide detectives, which police said is standard practice for fatal shootings while the exact circumstances are established. Investigators have not released details about the type of firearm involved, who owned it, or how the child came to gain access to it — all of which remain under investigation.
A department spokesperson said the shooting is being treated as an isolated incident, with no ongoing danger to the surrounding community. As of the most recent police update, no arrests had been made and no charges announced, with detectives continuing to look into how the shooting happened.
Two children found dead nearby earlier this month
Alayah’s death comes little more than a week after another Baltimore County community, around three miles away, suffered its own loss. Residents of Talles Road in Gwynn Oak were left shaken after two children were found fatally shot inside a home there on 7 July.
