A 5-year-old Girl in New Orleans Dies From Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound; Why Was A Loaded Gun Available to Her At Home?

A 5-year-old girl in New Orleans died Sunday after, police believe, she accidentally shot herself in the head.

The case will be reviewed by the district attorney's office and charges may be forthcoming, the New Orleans Police Department said in a statement.

Earlier, they had said that the girl's mother faced a charge of second-degree murder.

Officers responded to a report of a child shot late Sunday morning. They found the girl in a bedroom, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She was transferred to a hospital but later died from her injury.

"A preliminary investigation indicates the child was home alone and had somehow come into contact with a .38 revolver and accidentally shot herself in the head," police said in their statement.

They said the mother told them she locked her daughter in the home while she went to the store. Upon her return, she found the girl in the bedroom with the gunshot wound.

The gun was recovered.

Police have not released the girl's name, pending notification of family members.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday morning.