Father who stored AR-style rifle in son’s bedroom charged after 9-year-old fatally shoots 5-year-old sister

An Arizona father faces felony charges after his nine-year-old son shot his five-year-old daughter with a firearm he stored in the boy’s bedroom.

Maricopa County Police announced on Wednesday that Irvin Ramos-Jimenez, 33, had been indicted on one count of child abuse, a class three dangerous felony, and a domestic violence offense.

He also faces felony charges for misconduct involving weapons and unlawful possession of a firearm.

A jury in Phoenix indicted him on one count of child abuse in August.

Ramos-Jimenez had stored his AR-style rifle on a high-up shelf in his nine-year-old son’s bedroom closet.

The boy easily found the weapon and accidentally shot his little sister, Layla Ramos, in the torso on the night of June 3.

At first, the girl was taken to a psychiatric hospital where the family sought medical help.

She was then transferred to a trauma hospital and was pronounced dead there.

Irvin Ramos-Jimenez, 33, was indicted on multiple felony counts after his nine-year-old son used his AR-style rifle to kill his five year old daughter

Layla Ramos, five, was shot in the torso inside her Arizona home on June 3

Ramos-Jimenez had a previous drug trafficking conviction and was not legally permitted to own a firearm at all.

He purchased the weapon illegally through a private sale for personal protection, despite admitting to police that he knew he was not allowed to own a gun.

Arizona law does not require private gun sellers to do background checks.

According to police reports from the evening, emergency responders were called to the psychiatric hospital for a stabbing incident.

After police investigated, it became clear that Layla had been shot.

Her father fled from the psychiatric ward when ambulances arrived to take his daughter to the trauma hospital.

He reportedly returned home to look after his remaining children who had been left alone with his illegally-owned AR-style rifle still in the house, 12 News reported.

Maricopa County police announced that Ramos-Jimenez faced multiple felony charges for the incident

Family members described the young girl as a ‘little princess who got her wings way too soon’

When officers finally caught up with him, Ramos-Jimenez allegedly said that he was outside the family’s home when he heard the gunshot.

He then ran into his nine-year-old son’s room, where he said he found Layla had fatally injured, Arizona Republic reports.

He was arrested that day for the weapons offense.

Layla’s family posted a GoFundMe after her death to raise money for her funeral.

In their tribute to her they wrote: ‘She was our little princess who got her wings way too soon. She was so loving, smart, and a truly beautiful soul.’

Her father’s trial is scheduled to begin in March 2026.