Girl, 5, fatally shoots herself while playing with father's handgun

A 5-year-old Lousiana girl has lost her life after she shot and killed herself at home with a handgun that had not been safely stored.

The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s office said in a statement that the girl’s father told investigators his daughter was playing with the gun when she shot herself inside the LaPlace home on Saturday morning.

Detectives said the gun hadn’t been securely stored in the home before the shooting occurred, about 9:45 a.m.

The sheriff’s office said the shooting remained under investigation and additional information would be released “when warranted.”