Family mourns loss of 9-year-old accidentally shot, killed by 3-year-old brother: pistol left on bed

By Erin Edgemon | eedgemon@al.com The Birmingham News Email the author | Follow on Twitter on February 07, 2016 at 11:28 AM, updated February 07, 2016 at 11:29 AM

Irondale, AL

series /series Aka Story Package gallery-preview /gallery-preview Aka Secondary Package Christy Watson described her 9-year-old niece, Kimberly Reylander, as a sweet girl who loved everyone.

"She was a sweet little girl," Watson, Kimberly's great-aunt, said. "She was very smart."

Family members were gathering at the home of Kimberly's great-grandparents on Monroe Drive in Irondale on Sunday morning to mourn the loss of the third-grader.

Kimberly was accidentally shot Saturday afternoon inside the Monroe Drive home by her 3-year-old brother, Irondale police say. The girl suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was transported by medical helicopter to Children's of Alabama where she later died.

Irondale Police Chief Ken Atkinson said on Saturday that the shooting is believed to be a tragic accident, but it remained under investigation.

Police received a 911 call reporting the shooting at around 2:10 p.m. Monroe Drive was closed for at least two hours while police investigated.

Atkinson said someone left a pistol on a bedroom nightstand not knowing the grandchildren were coming over that day. While the children were playing in the room, the 3-year-old picked up the weapon and shot his sister.

Watson said Kimberly and her brother lived nearby with their mother. With tears in her eyes, she said she couldn't imagine what the girl's mother was going through right now.

Watson said Kimberly loved art.

"She makes these clay figurines," the great-aunt said, while holding up a figurine of an angel.

Watson said she didn't know if funeral arrangements were being made as of yet.

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