Girl, 10, Killed by ‘Celebratory Gunfire’ in Florida During New Year’s Eve with Family, Say Police

A 10-year-old girl in Florida was struck and killed by a stray bullet while celebrating New Year’s Eve with her family, say police.

At 12:04 a.m. on Wed., Jan. 1, Yaneliz Munguia was with her family near NW 27th Ave. and NW 21st St. in Northwest Miami when she was hit by “celebratory gunfire,” the Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement.

“This heartbreaking incident serves as a devastating reminder that what goes up must come down,” the department said. “Bullets fired into the air can take innocent lives.”

Police say the little girl was with her family, who were lighting fireworks outside of their apartment when she was struck in the head by the bullet, CBS News Miami reports.

When Yaneliz fell to the ground, her parents found the gunshot wound in the back of her head. They then jumped in a car and raced to the hospital while calling for help, according to CBS News Miami.

Hialeah Fire Rescue met them on the way and rushed Yaneliz to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter, CBS News Miami reports.

While authorities search for the person whose bullet killed Yaneliz, her family is mourning her loss.

“Every time I came over, she was always happy to see me and now I can’t bear to enter their home and not be able to see her again,” her grandfather, Ramon Valdizol, told reporters in Spanish. “It hurts my soul.”

Yaneliz’s loved ones started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her funeral and medical expenses.

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In a post on Facebook telling well wishers about the GoFundMe, Estephanie Gomez wrote in Spanish that “Every contribution, no matter the amount, will make a huge difference to the family in need of all of us. Please donate and share this post. Together we can unite and show that even in the darkest moments, solidarity and love prevail.”

The family had raised more than $29,000 by Thursday afternoon.

Yaneliz, from Leon, Nicaragua, was “full of dreams and joy,” Gomez wrote. “This tragedy has left our family devastated and facing an extremely difficult situation.”

Yaneliz was a fourth grade student at Melrose Elementary School, a teacher at the school wrote in another Facebook post.

“She was such a sweet, quiet little girl who was so nurturing to her little Kindergarten brother,” wrote Murenne Philistin. “I can’t imagine what her family is going through.”

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-8477.