Georgia Woman Charged After Accidentally Shooting Teenage Sister In The Face

KEY POINTS

The accused, Taniyria Holt, was being held without a bond
Holt told detectives she handed the gun to her sister believing it was unloaded
Two other women were inside the car with the sisters during the incident

A Georgia woman visiting South Florida was arrested Monday after she accidentally shot her teenage sister in the face while handing her a gun inside a car.

The shooting occurred Sunday at Miami Beach, near the Julia Tuttle Causeway. The cops who responded to the scene initially thought the gunshot wound the victim, Dre’Naya Ponder, 18, suffered was self-inflicted, according to a statement by the Miami Beach Police Department.

Taniyria Holt, 24, was charged with culpable negligence that inflicts personal injury and improper exhibition of firearms in connection with the incident, which occurred at around 8.14 p.m., Associated Press reported.

Ponder remained on life support at a hospital on Monday. Doctors said Ponder has "no expectancy of survival." If the victim dies, the culpable homicide charge against Holt will likely be upgraded to manslaughter, according to Miami Herald.

The shooting prompted a closure of the route between the Julia Tuttle Causeway and northbound Alton Road Flyover, according to the police statement.

Holt told detectives there were four women inside the car at the time of the shooting. The women were recording themselves on cell phones when Holt, who was at the front seat of the vehicle, attempted to hand over a handgun owned by one of the two other women, to her sister.

Holt said she racked the firearm and saw a live round eject. Believing the gun was unloaded, Holt handed it to her sister, but it discharged and a bullet hit the latter, according to AP.

"Thinking the firearm was free of live rounds, Ms. Holt said she went to pass the firearm over to her sister, Ms. Ponder (who was sitting behind the driver), but accidentally shot her," Holt's arrest report said, as per Miami Herald. "Thinking the firearm was free of live rounds, Ms. Holt said she went to pass the firearm over to her sister, Ms. Ponder (who was sitting behind the driver), but accidentally shot her."

Holt was being held without a bond and it was unclear if she had obtained an attorney.