CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two men have been arrested on deadly conduct charges after a little girl was killed after she was hit by gunfire just after midnight on New Year's Day.
29-year-old Deonis Poindexter and 43-year-old Jacob Leal were arrested on Jan. 2 after an investigation found they illegally fired their weapons in the direction of several homes, according to the Corpus Christi Police Department.
Charges may be upgraded as the investigation continues, officials said.
The girl was at the Allure Apartments on Everhart when her family said she fell to the ground and started bleeding just after midnight. Her father, Robert Silva, immediately drove her to the hospital where she died.
"Guns started going off and I heard the dings hitting over here and I heard two and then I heard my baby said, 'ouch.' When she said ouch, she fell to the ground. I already knew it was a bullet that hit her," Silva said.
Despite his loss, Silva said that he is grateful for the communities support.
"It means the world to me, it means the world," Silva said. "My baby knows how many people loved her, she knows. She had so many people who loved her, so it means a big, big deal to me."
The city's Criminal Investigation Division is currently investigating the incident. Residents are encouraged to share any information they have regarding the case to 361-886-2600.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for your daily news and exclusive extended interviews.
Do you have a news tip? Tell 3!
Put your name and contact information below, or email tell3@kiiitv.com, so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous.
If you do not have a photo/video to submit, just click "OK" to skip that prompt.