3-year-old girl dies following weekend shooting in East Germantown

A 3-year-old girl who was shot in the head over the weekend in East Germantown has died of her injuries, authorities said Monday.

The child, identified by police as Kayden Barnes, was taken Saturday afternoon to Einstein Medical Center with a gunshot wound to her right eye, according to investigators. The shooting occurred on the 500 block of E. Chelten Avenue, police said.

The Medical Examiner’s Office notified the PPD of Kayden’s death at around 2:30 a.m. Monday, a police spokesperson said. She had earlier been airlifted from Einstein to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in “extremely critical condition,” authorities said.

Officers recovered the gun at the scene. A man was taken into custody for questioning, but he has since been released, police said. The PPD said no charges are expected in connection with the incident.

6ABC and the Inquirer, citing law enforcement sources, reported that Kayden unintentionally shot herself with an unsecured firearm, though the PPD has not officially said what led to the shooting.