A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with the shooting of a two-year-old girl in Ramona.
The Sheriff’s Department was first notified about the incident after receiving a call from Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Center in the 8700 block of Cuyamaca Street in Santee on Sunday, October 3 just after 11:00 a.m.
When deputies from the Ramona Sheriff’s Substation and Santee Sheriff’s Station arrived at the hospital, they began their investigation by interviewing the toddler’s family.
Deputies learned that around 10:00 a.m., the two-year-old girl was in a bedroom of her family home in the 24000 block of Sargeant Road in Ramona.
The child was with her mother, 20-year-old Victoria Tejeda (DOB: 11/18/2000), Tejeda’s boyfriend, 18-year-old Roman Estrada (DOB: 11/04/2002), and Tejeda’s adult brother. Estrada was showing an illegally possessed, loaded gun to Tejeda and her brother.
While holding the gun and trying to disassemble it, Estrada pulled the trigger, causing the weapon to fire. The bullet struck the toddler in her leg. Tejeda noticed her daughter was bleeding and crying. The investigation revealed neither Tejeda nor Estrada made any effort to call for emergency medical assistance.
Tejeda and Estrada then drove the toddler to a clinic in Ramona. The clinic was closed so they drove to Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Center in Santee. While Tejeda was with her daughter, Estrada hid the still-loaded gun in the bushes outside of the hospital.
The toddler was transported via ambulance to Rady Children’s Hospital. The bullet was removed from her leg and she is expected to make a full recovery.
During the investigation, Estrada told deputies what happened and where he hid the gun. The weapon was recovered by deputies.
Estrada was arrested and booked into San Diego Central Jail on charges of child neglect, child endangerment and for negligently discharging a firearm.
Tejeda was arrested and booked into the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility on child neglect and child endangerment charges. She has been released after posting $100,000 bail.
Right now, Child Protective Services is caring for the toddler. The investigation is ongoing.
