UMVA has learned that a tragic shooting in a Wichita home claimed the life of a one‑year‑old girl after her three‑year‑old sister accessed an unlocked handgun left within reach.
The father, 26‑year‑old Michael Tejeda, pleaded guilty to second‑degree murder, illegal possession of a weapon as a convicted felon, and two counts of aggravated child endangerment, after investigators pieced together the harrowing sequence of events.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the night of February 28 the father fell asleep while supervising his daughters, leaving a firearm in a prop holster that failed to secure the gun. He later removed the weapon and placed it on the mantel above the living‑room fireplace before retreating to a bedroom to change clothes.
Moments after he left the room, a deafening crack shattered the house. Tejeda rushed to the living area to find his three‑year‑old daughter sobbing and his infant daughter lying motionless on the couch, a bullet wound to her head. The gun lay beside the tiny body, confirming that the child had somehow obtained it.
In a trembling 911 call, the father reported that his older daughter had shot her younger sister. He later admitted that the older child had shown a disturbing curiosity about the gun in the weeks leading up to the tragedy.
The surviving sister was taken to a child advocacy center for a forensic interview, though she was unable to recount the incident. Prosecutors have dropped the more severe first‑degree murder charge in exchange for the plea agreement.
Both the prosecution and defense are expected to recommend a midrange sentence under Kansas guidelines, with the terms to run consecutively. Tejeda’s sentencing is set for July 9.
