MIAMI – Three people have been arrested following the death of an 11-year-old girl in Miami who was shot on Tuesday.
According to the suspects’ arrest reports, the shooting was reported around noon at an apartment located at 200 NW 17th St.
Miami police said the victim, identified as Taliyah Clarke, was in a bedroom with her 9-year-old brother when their father, Titato Hatzate Clarke, 40, and paternal grandmother, Charlene Ann Webster, 59, heard the sound of a gunshot.
Police said Titato Clarke ran over to the kids’ room and found his daughter suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper left side of her chest.
Prosecutors said in Miami-Dade bond court Wednesday that the victim’s 9-year-old brother pulled the trigger.
Police said Clarke drove his daughter to Holtz Children’s Hospital, where she underwent surgery, but was ultimately pronounced dead.
The child’s mother, Chantrell Manning, was still visibly in a state of shock on Wednesday but wanted to talk about her little girl.
“Taliyah, she was a butterfly -- beautiful,” said Manning. “She just had a pure soul, such a sweetheart -- sweet, sweet baby.”
Neighbor Gina Saivilien told Local 10 News she was home at the time and did not hear the shot.
“Next thing we know, she was in the father’s arms and bleeding so badly,” she said.
Saivilien said she had just seen the victim in the morning prior to the shooting.
“I was sitting on the front porch and the little girl come and spoke to me and said, ‘How are you doing madam?’ I was so happy to see them as I do every morning,” Saivilien said.
Saivilien said she will now hold on to the memories she has of Taliyah.
“You know what, I will remember her smiles and her walk -- she is so beautiful,” Saivilien said.
According to the arrest reports, detectives executed a search warrant at the home and found one .40 caliber silver casing on the bedroom floor of the children’s room near a dog cage.
A detective found a Glock .40 caliber handgun wrapped inside of a pink scarf and brown blanket on top of the cage, the report stated.
According to the arrest reports, Clarke’s “romantic partner” Nancy Severe, 43, also lives at the apartment with them and they share three children together who live with them.
Police said all three adults were home at the time of the shooting and had a shared responsibility to supervise the victim.
They each face a charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child.
“My baby needs justice at the end of the day,” said Manning. “Somebody has to own up to this.”
According to Clarke’s arrest report, a criminal records check revealed that he has previously been convicted of 12 felonies.
Court records show Severe has a prior conviction for child abuse and her public defender argued in court Wednesday that she had no knowledge of any weapons in the home.
All three remained in jail Thursday and were held without bond. A court hearing was held for each defendant Thursday morning in which a judge ordered that all three stay away from one of the father’s children.
Family members created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses for the victim, and it can be found by clicking here.