Dad "accidently" shoots 4-month-old daughter through forehead with BB gun (Greensburg, Pennsylvania)

Another dads-who-are-careless-with-guns story.
Dad CARLOS RIVERA says he was cleaning his BB gun when it went off, shooting his 4-month-old daughter in the forehead. The shot penetrated the skull, just above the baby's left eye. Dad is charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/20159262/detail.html

Police: Dad Cleaning BB Gun Shoots Daughter In Forehead
Greensburg Dad Says Gun Misfired
POSTED: 5:40 pm EDT July 23, 2009
UPDATED: 6:16 pm EDT July 23, 2009

GREENSBURG, Pa. -- A Greensburg father is facing charges after police say he was cleaning his BB gun when it went off, hitting his 4-month-old daughter in the forehead.

WTAE Channel 4 Action News’ Bob Mayo reported the shot penetrated the girl’s skull and that doctors believe trying to remove it would be more dangerous than leaving it in.

“Right now, they said the best thing was for the BB to stay in there because they would actually have to go into the skull to remove it,” said Greensburg police Capt. George Seranko. “Further on down the line, we don't know what might happen to the child. Right now, the child appears alert.”

The incident happened at an apartment building on Cambria Circle in Greensburg on June 21.

Police have charged Carlos Rivera with shooting his daughter, Kayla, above her left eye.

Police said Rivera told them the gun misfired while he was unloading it.

"It went through the skull and it traced along the skull, the top of the head, the back of the head and landed right in the back neck area of the baby,” said Seranko.

Rivera told police he believes it ricocheted off the ceiling, but officers did not find any marks on the ceiling consistent with a BB gun.

Rivera’s daughter has since been released from the hospital.

“It's lucky and a miracle that there wasn't anything more severe injuries to the child, for the way the BB went in and hit her,” Seranko said.

Rivera is charged with aggravated assault and recklessly endangering his daughter.

His bond has been set at $75,000, and he remains in the Westmoreland County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week.

"He shouldn't be shooting a gun in the house,” said neighbor Joanna Marks. “He shouldn't have been handling a gun -- inside a house, let alone outside a house, around children.”