Stray bullet from New Year revelry gun-firing kills 12-yr-old girl in Lanao del Norte

ILIGAN CITY—A stray bullet killed a 12-year-old girl during New Year revelery in the town of Sapad, Lanao del Norte province.

Maj. Salman Saad, Lanao del Norte police spokesperson, said the girl, Suzzette Abregondo Manamparan, was playing in front of her house with children of relatives when she suddenly collapsed.

“At first, they thought it was a mere accident when the girl stumbled on the ground,” Saad said, citing the account of witnesses.

Saad added that an X-ray result revealed that a bullet of unknown caliber lodged in the girl’s head.

The child’s parents brought the victim to the Kapatagan Provincial Hospital in nearby Kapatagan town where she was pronounced dead.

When a police team, led by Lt. Elric Palanas of the Sapad police station, arrived at the scene for investigation, the ground where the girl fell was already cleaned by relatives.

Saad said police are investigating who fired the gun from where the stray bullet came.

Edited by TSB