39°
Faith Youngling knew the gun was loaded, they noted -- however, they aren't convinced that she intentionally shot herself.
Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, in turn, charged Kenneth Pinte, 21, with reckless manslaughter, hindering and weapons charges in connection with her death.
Pinte, who gave authorities different versions of the events, claimed that he'd told Youngling the safety was on when he handed her the gun, investigators said.
******
PREVIOUS STORY: A 21-year-old Paramus man illegally bought a shotgun that an 18-year-old Cliffside Park woman killed herself with in the basement of his home Saturday night, authorities said.
Kenneth Pinte, who is unemployed and has a criminal history, was charged with reckless manslaughter, hindering and weapons charges in the death of Faith Youngling.
Pinte illegally bought the 12-gauge shotgun that Youngling shot herself with, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Sunday night.
A single point-blank blast killed her instantly, responders said.
An autopsy "determined that the injuries were self-inflicted," the prosecutor said.
Youngling knew the gun was loaded "and it was likely accidental," a high-ranking law enforcement official told Daily Voice.
Pinte, who gave authorities different versions of the events, claimed that he'd told Youngling the safety was on when he handed her the gun, investigators said.
Responders told Daily Voice they could tell that she'd been highly intoxicated.
Pinte "recklessly provided Faith Youngling the shotgun that caused her death and that he had purchased the shotgun illegally," Musella said.
Pinte remained held Sunday night in the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Youngling, who grew up in Cliffside Park and briefly lived in Fairview, moved in with her father in West New York last year, a close family friend told Daily Voice.
Her mother "is devastated, like all of us," the friend said. "It's just so sad.
"She was a good girl -- never been in trouble or arrested," the friend added. "But she hung out with a bad crowd.
"Her (previous) boyfriend was always in trouble."
Residents in the Paramus neighborhood called the Pleasant Avenue home a trouble spot.
"There's a history with that house," one neighbor said. "Police have been there many times. We have complained and complained about what was happening there."
******
ORIGINAL STORY: Authorities were trying to determine whether a young woman from Cliffside Park who was shot dead in the basement of a Paramus home late Saturday was the victim of suicide or homicide, Daily Voice has learned.
The 18-year-old victim -- who'd more recently been living with her father in West New York -- was sitting on the edge of a bed when she was killed instantly by the shotgun blast shortly before midnight, responders said.
Her 20-something boyfriend, who summoned police, was taken in for questioning by detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, witnesses said.
The Bergen County Medical Examiner was conducting an autopsy, and the 12-gauge shotgun was being analyzed for fingerprints.
The 84-year-old homeowner and his son told police they were upstairs and hadn't heard anything, responders said.
The woman, who grew up in Cliffside Park and briefly lived in Fairview, moved in with her father in West New York last year, a close family friend told Daily Voice.
Her mother "is devastated, like all of us," the friend said. "It's just so sad.
"She was a good girl -- never been in trouble or arrested," the friend added. "But she hung out with a bad crowd.
"Her (previous) boyfriend was always in trouble."
Residents in the Paramus neighborhood called the Pleasant Avenue home a trouble spot.
"There's a history with that house," one neighbor said. "Police have been there many times. We have complained and complained about what was happening there."
A stretch of Pleasant Avenue between Rochelle Park and Paramus -- from Gertrude Avenue down to the dead end -- remained closed Sunday as investigators continued their work.
Responders included Paramus police, the prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit and the Bergen County Sheriff's Bureau of Criminal Identification.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Elizabeth and receive free news updates.
