Arizona baby shot in head with BB gun, critically injured
GOLDEN VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) - Three people have been arrested after a baby was shot twice with a BB gun with one pellet embedded in her skull, according to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office.
They said the 8-month-old girl was airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas and is listed in critical condition.
Zachary Kauffman, Savannah Cushman (Mohave County Sheriff's Office)
The child was in a car seat that was placed on the ground while her mother, 34-year-old Marticella Lopez-Rodriguez, was gathering firewood Nov. 3 in Golden Valley.
They said 33-year-old Zion Zachary Kauffman shot up to 30 BB pellets at a flock of quail near the baby. One of the BBs grazed the girl’s arm while the other hit her in the back of the head, fracturing her skull.
Lopez-Rodriguez, Kauffman and 27-year-old Savannah Joy Cushman allegedly waited several hours before using a taxi to get the baby to a hospital in Kingman. The mother reportedly lied to detectives and had claimed an unknown person had randomly shot at them.
Deputies later arrested Kauffman and Cushman and booked them into jail on suspicion of child abuse, aggravated assault and hindering prosecution.
Sheriff’s officials said Lopez-Rodriguez was arrested in Las Vegas and was awaiting extradition.