Man Gets Up To 30 Years In Prison For Shooting, Killing 3-Year-Old Girl

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By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A man who said he slept with a shotgun and woke up to find a 3-year-old girl dead will spend up to 30 years in prison.

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office says a judge sentenced Marlin Pritchard to 14 to 30 years in prison in connection with the shooting death of a toddler. Pritchard pleaded guilty in March.

(Photo Credit: Allegheny County Jail)

Chassity Clancy was found dead inside a home on E. Warrington Avenue in Beltzhoover last February. She was found to have a gunshot wound to her neck while lying in a bed.

Pritchard told authorities he was sleeping next to Chassity and had a shotgun under his pillow, pointing in her direction. The gun went off, hitting the girl in the middle of the night and ultimately killing her.

(Photo Credit: Family)

Authorities say Pritchard told investigators he slept with the gun because of threats from other people. Investigators say he was not supposed to have a gun because he was convicted of felony charges in the past.