A 10-year-old girl was fatally struck by a stray bullet just after midnight during a New Year’s celebration in Florida.
According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, the incident occurred at approximately 12:04 a.m. on Jan. 1, in the vicinity of Northwest 27 Avenue and Northwest 21 Street. The young girl, Yaneliz Munguia, was celebrating the New Year with her family at the time, police said.
“A moment of happiness turned into a tragedy,” a relative of Yaneliz told local television station WSVN in Spanish.
The Miami-Dade Police Department’s Homicide Bureau has launched an investigation into the incident, which they believe resulted from celebratory gunfire.
“This heartbreaking incident serves as a devastating reminder that what goes up must come down. Bullets fired into the air can take innocent lives,” the department said in a Jan. 1 Facebook post.
Ramon Valdizon, Yaneliz’s grandfather, shared with reporters what took place during the child’s final moments.
“All of a sudden, she fell down and her father got nearby, and all of a sudden, he started crying,” Valdizon told WSVN in Spanish.
The family attempted to save Yaneliz’s life, driving her to the hospital before meeting Hialeah Fire Rescue, who then transported her to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. She was pronounced dead upon arrival, police said.
The loss has devastated Yaneliz’s immediate family, particularly her younger brother.
“They’ve never been apart, and it’s really hard for a 6-year-old kid,” Valdizon explained.
The incident has sparked a response from local officials, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“Our hearts are with the family mourning the loss of their beloved 10-year-old, whose life was tragically cut short by reckless gunfire. Let us unite to prevent further senseless acts,” the mayor said in her own post on Facebook on Jan. 1.
The Miami-Dade Police Department Homicide Bureau is actively seeking leads, with Detective J. Chaidez heading the investigation. Tips can be submitted anonymously through various channels, including phone calls, text messages, and online platforms.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.
“We are asking for your help to bring justice for this young victim and her family,” the police department said in their same post.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to cover medical and funeral expenses and has surpassed its initial goal, raising $51,000 of the $25,000 target as of the latest update. The page describes Yaneliz as a “10-year-old Nicaraguan girl who was the victim of a stray bullet on New Year’s Eve.”
Yaneliz’s funeral will be held on Jan. 10, according to the GoFundMe page.
In a parting message, Valdizon told WSVN the family hopes to prevent similar tragedies from happening.
“I don’t want what happened to my granddaughter to happen to anyone else,” he said.