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Daisy Vasquez, 31, turned herself in to police Monday and is facing third-degree felony charges of endangering welfare of children, possession of a firearm by a minor–responsibility of adult, and hindering apprehension or prosecution, and other related charges, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Upper Providence Township Police Chief Mark A. Toomey.
An investigation discovered that the children's mom, Daisy, asked 13-year-old Jah’sir Vasquez to go outside to her car to get a 9mm handgun, which was legally registered to her, Steele and Toomey said.
The home surveillance video recovered by detectives shows Jah’sir entering the house with the handgun in his right hand and then pointing it at Jasiyah.
Seconds later, while Jah’sir had the gun pointed in his sister’s direction, it discharged, and Jasiyah collapsed, police said.
Upper Providence police responding to reports of a shooting found the girl lifeless and not breathing in her family living room on Larchwood Court with a single gunshot wound in her chest around 7:15 a.m., Steele and Toomey said.
Jasiyah was pronounced dead and an autopsy performed by a physician and forensic pathologist determined the cause of death was the gunshot wound, and the manner was homicide, authorities said.
Jah’sir Vasquez was charged with third-degree murder in the deadly shooting of his sister the same day, Steele and Toomey said.
Jah’sir was arraigned before Magisterial District Court Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar, who denied bail and ordered that the teen be held at the Montgomery County Juvenile Detention Center.
A preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m., March 26, before Magisterial District Judge Richard H. Welsh.
It is newly alleged that Daisy subsequently lied to detectives about the events that led up to the death of her daughter, whose funeral was on Saturday, authorities said.
“The death of this girl is a tragedy, but it could have been prevented. A pivotal aspect is the mother asking her child to go outside to the driveway to retrieve her handgun from the car—a handgun that had a bullet chambered and ready to shoot,” said Steele.
“A parent has a legal responsibility to protect their children, and a handgun owner has a legal responsibility to keep their guns out of the hands of children. This defendant failed on both counts. Now a young girl is dead, and a boy is facing murder charges.”
Daisy was arraigned before Magisterial District Court Judge Richard H. Welsh, who set bail at $50,000 unsecured, with a condition of bail being that she is not allowed to possess a firearm.
A preliminary hearing is set for 1 p.m., April 27 before Judge Welsh.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant Chief of Trials Brianna Ringwood, who oversees the Family Protection Unit.
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