Maliyah Palmer was 6 and a first-grader at Green Trails Elementary when she died on Friday, December 14, 2018, in Florissant, Missouri. That evening she and her 12-year-old brother were at home under the supervision of their 16-year-old sister while the parents attended a Christmas party.

A single round struck Maliyah in the head. Emergency services arrived just before 11 p.m.; she was taken to a local hospital and later died of her injuries. The Florissant Police Department called the shooting a tragic accident. The case was reviewed by the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney and St. Louis County Family Court, and the Prosecuting Attorney announced he did not intend to file charges.

Counselors were made available at Maliyah’s school as the community mourned.