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Philly dad confesses to shooting daughter, 4, after brother, 5, blamed

PHILADELPHIA-- A father has confessed to accidentally shooting and killing his 4-year-old daughter inside a home in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, a police sourcetold CBS Philadelphia.

It happened around 2:30 p.m. Saturday inside a home along the 200 block of East Mayfield Street.

Investigators say the girl's father was playing with a gun when it went off and struck the girl in the face. She died inside the home.

Police say the man fled the scene after the shooting but was later taken into custody. His name has not been released at this time.

Police say a weapon was recovered inside the home.

It was originally reported that the girl had been shot by her 5-year-old brother.

Crystal Dougherty, a friend of the victim's family, told CBS Philadelphia the girl was well-liked in the neighborhood.

"She was a great big sister to her little brother," Dougherty said. "She was very smart, at four years old, she knows her alphabet, her colors."

Doughtery said the victim's family is close with people on the block.

"They are outgoing, they are supportive of others. They're there for me when I was going through rough times, I mean it's just, it's, they're there for everybody," she said.

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