Girl Shoots Self: Candy and Gun Were in Grandma's Purse

A 4-year-old girl fatally shot herself while searching for candy in her grandmother's purse when she accidentally pulled the trigger of a gun that also was in the handbag.

Yanelly "Nelly" Zoller died Sept. 14 at the Tampa, Florida, home of her grandparents, Michael and Christie Zoller, The Associated Press reported.

Her 22-year-old father Shane Zoller told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday that she just wanted candy.

Tampa police told the newspaper they are investigating the case, but have no reason to doubt Zoller's story.

Shane Zoller says he was in high school when he became a father, and if his parents had not helped with Nelly, he would have had to drop out of school. He says Nelly was "attached to her nana's hip" and loved staying at her grandparents' house.

Zoller shared custody with the girl's mother.

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