BALTIMORE — A Baltimore man pled guilty Friday in the manslaughter case of his two-year-old daughter.
It all began on December 17, 2023. Officers went to Sinai Hospital and found young Charlee Gamble with a gunshot wound to the head.
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Police later learned her father, Christopher Gamble, left Charlee at the hospital around 7:14 pm. After coming to the hospital a second time to drop off the mother, he came a third time around 7:32 pm in different clothes.
He stayed at the hospital and spoke with police, but they would later find young Charlee had succumbed to her injuries.
Police searched the 6000 block of Park Heights Avenue, where Christopher resided, and found blood on the ground outside the lobby, the walls in the hallway, the apartment door, and the walls inside the apartment.
They also found a small hole in the ceiling of the bedroom, which was later found to be from a 9mm bullet.
Video surveillance reveals as Christopher was returning to the hospital a second time, he appeared to have tossed something into the storm drain on Clover Road.
READ MORE: Father arrested in 2-year-old's murder
Detectives went to the area and found a black Polymer 80 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
While talking with the police, Christopher said that he was alone in the bedroom with Charlee and that he owned a ghost gun.
He said while he was looking down at his phone, Charlee picked the gun up off the TV stand and shot herself. Christopher also claimed he had no idea what happened to the gun or where it was located.
He also told police he wanted to die and that it was 'all his fault.'
According to the State's Attorney's Office, Christopher was not allowed to have a regulated firearm at the time due to a conviction for assault in Wicomico County back in September 2021.
"This is a devastating case that exemplifies the horrific consequences of unsafe gun storage and illegal gun possession," said State's Attorney Ivan Bates.
Along with Christopher's 10-year sentence, he will be ineligible for parole for the first five years.
"Today's plea and sentencing are a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences that illegal handguns have had on our great city," said State's Attorney Bates. "Leaving an unsecured, illegal firearm within reach of a child is an act of profound negligence that has resulted in a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy. No outcome in court can bring back Charlee Gamble. Her death is the most significant consequence this defendant will face for the rest of his life. This sentence reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who put our community, especially our children, at risk. Our thoughts are with the family as they continue to cope with this unimaginable loss."
