7-year-old girl dies two days after getting hit by celebratory bullet

January 2, 2013 3:25pm

(Updated 4:06 p.m.) She barely lived long enough to see 2013. The seven-year-old girl who was hit by a stray bullet at the height of the New Year revelry Monday night succumbed to her injuries in a Quezon City hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Stephanie Nicole Ella, who was struck while watching New Year's Eve celebrations outside their Caloocan City home, was only one of the 40 people hit by stray bullets from Dec. 21, 2012 to Jan. 2, 2013, according to figures from the Philippine National Police.

Dr. Emmanuel Bueno of the East Avenue Medical Center said Stephanie Nicole died at 2:26 p.m. after suffering her eighth cardiac arrest.

"Kaninang 2:26 ng hapon nai-declare natin si Nicole Ella na pumanaw, after the eighth cardiac arrest," Bueno said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Doctors tried to resuscitate Stephanie Nicole but her parents decided to stop the treatment, added Bueno. "Nag-decide ang tatay at nanay na tama na at hindi na makakabalik, itigil na, hindi na talaga makakabalik.”

Parents call for justice

Bueno said Stephanie Nicole's parents were devastated after losing their child to an act committed by an "irresponsible person." They have appealed to authorities to catch the perpetrator.

"Ang magulang masamang masama ang loob. Ang mahal na anak, bata pa, pumanaw na nang walang kakuwenta-kwenta, sa indiscriminate firing ng isang irresponsible person," Bueno said.

A separate report by dzBB's Glen Juego said Stephanie Nicole's parents and other relatives were emotional as they reiterated their call to the perpetrator to surface.

Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, deputy district director for administration of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said the sources of stray bullets could be easily traced once the slugs were recovered. It's a different story, however, if the bullets came from unlicensed firearms.

"Kung ito (bullet) po'y nasa registered [firearm] na ipinutok, mas madali po dahil mayroon po tayong ballistic examination, mayroon tayong records ng ballistics po ng mga firearms na licensed. Pero kung ito po unlicensed firearms, medyo mahirap," Pagdilao said in an interview with "News To Go" on Wednesday.

He said cases of innocent bystanders hit by stray bullets are being looked into by their "trained and dedicated police investigators" as ordered by the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership.

"Maaaring ito (investigation) po'y mahirap pero hindi imposible sa mga trained at dedicated police investigators natin. At tsaka ito po yung kautusan ng ating kataas-taasan sa PNP na imbestigahan po at ituring na isang krimen itong insidente ng mga stray bullets," Pagdilao said.

A fighter

In an earlier interview, Bueno said they could not do much else other than place Stephanie Nicole on life support. "Nailagay na natin lahat na pangangailangan niya. Pati respirator and life support system lahat nariyan na," he said.

But at the time, he said Stephanie Nicole appeared to be fighting, and her family was supporting her. "Hindi naggi-give up ang pamilya, kami rin gusto namin siya maitawid."

The indiscriminate firing of guns has been a perennial problem in the Philippines during New Year celebrations despite efforts from authorities to curb it.

Days before New Year's eve, police sealed the muzzles of their firearms to prevent those who are not on duty from firing their weapons during the celebrations and also as a symbolic gesture against indiscriminate firing. — KBK/HS, GMA News