DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police are investigating after a father shot and killed his daughter before he turned the gun on himself in Davie.
Davie Police and Fire Rescue units responded to a home in the area of Southwest 18th Court and 145th Avenue just before 9 a.m., Monday.
Officials said it appears the father shot his 11-year-old child before turning the gun on himself.
7SkyForce HD hovered over the scene where multiple police vehicles could be seen outside of the home.
The girl was pronounced deceased at the scene, with her body removed from the home hours later. The father was transported to Broward Medical Center where he later died.
“We have an 11-year-old child who is deceased and a man in his 40s, who is the child’s father, who is also deceased,” said Davie Police Lt. Mark Leone. “While we were speaking to the mother, we were told that the child has a debilitating terminal illness, which is a possibility of why this tragic incident occurred.”
The mother of the child, who was making breakfast at the time, was not injured.
“When police arrived, they had spoken to a female who had heard gunshots coming from one of the rooms,” Leone said.
“You know, to lose your husband and your child, terrible,” neighbor Thelma Napolitano said.
Thelma and George Napolitano said they lived across the street from the family, whom they have come to love, especially the 11-year-old girl, Angela Ng.
“I used to give her all my books, so I saw her since she was a baby,” Thelma said.
They said the mother recently told them something was very wrong with her daughter.
“She said she’s been very sick. She said something happened to Angela. She’s in the hospital, and I don’t know when she’s coming home,” Thelma said.
A woman’s scream was heard throughout the neighborhood as police arrived on the scene.
“I heard the mother come right through my yard. They picked her up, put her in the car, and she screamed a noise like I knew I’ve heard before. She was very upset,” neighbor Charlene Wells said. “Being the mother of a child that was killed in a car accident and how painful it is, I can imagine what they’re going through now. It’s awful. I feel bad for her. I really do,” Wells said.
The Napolitanos said they hope people will remember a nice family who loved their daughter.
“He was a gentleman, and to us, it’s been a terrible shock,” George said.
George added that whenever there was bad weather, the father would check on his neighbors to make sure they were OK.
Police said the 11-year-old was the only child inside the household. The exact nature of the child’s diagnosis is unknown.
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