Baby girl hit by stray bullet, dies in hospital

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A 1-year and 10-month-old baby girl died after she was hit by a stray bullet inside their house at Purok Malunao, Barangay Caduha-an, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental last Sunday.

The baby, whose name was withheld, passed away around 11:30 p.m. Monday at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital here, according to Police Lieutenant Alfonso Precia, deputy police chief of Cadiz City Police Station.

The incident happened while the child was playing on the bed with her family.

Precia said the child’s parents heard two gunshots, after which, the bullet passed through the galvanized corrugated wall of the house and hit the baby’s head.

The baby fell to the ground and her parents saw her bleeding.

“Layo man ang distansya pagpalupok sa balay ka bata, galing didto nag igo ang bala sa ila dingding,” Precia said.

Precia said Nomar Ayan Berto, 46, of Barangay Caduha-an, a forest ranger, surrendered to the police yesterday.

Precia said Berto, who is reported to be a relative of the victim’s family, allegedly used a .45 caliber, but police have yet to determine the suspect’s reason for using the gun, which was believed to be a loose firearm.

Precia said they are trying to find the gun.

Upon his surrender, Berto told the police that he is willing to execute an extrajudicial confession on the incident, which police considered a case of indiscriminate firing.

Berto is detained at the police station.