15-year-old girl charged with third-degree murder in fatal shooting of Abington teen
Abington Township police arrested Precious Hamilton in a shooting that killed 17-year-old Baseem “Seyven” Baker.
Montgomery County prosecutors charged a 15-year-old girl with third-degree murder Tuesday in the shooting death of an Abington teenager in his family’s apartment on Monday afternoon.
Precious Hamilton, of Eddystone, was arrested that evening by Abington Township police in connection with a shooting that left 17-year-old Baseem “Seyven” Baker dead from a gunshot wound to the head, prosecutors said.
Police arrived at Baker’s apartment on the 100 block of Old York Road to find the teen dead in his bedroom, authorities said.
Police said Hamilton had been staying at the apartment over the weekend and had shown Baker the gun, a small-caliber revolver, on Sunday when “dry firing” the weapon out of Baker’s window, according to videos and a photo recovered from Baker’s iPad.
Baker’s cousin, who was with the teens at the time, told police she left the apartment Sunday evening and that she observed “no issues” between the two.
Baker’s mother left Baker and Hamilton alone on Monday afternoon to run errands, prosecutors said, and she returned around 4:30 p.m. to find the front door unlocked and Baker unresponsive on the floor. Hamilton was not at the apartment, police said; video footage captured her leaving the apartment alone around 3:20.
An examiner with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office ruled Baker’s manner of death was a homicide.
During an interview with Hamilton and her mother, police said, Hamilton told investigators she shot Baker accidentally after the gun was left in the cocked position from Sunday.
She told investigators she grabbed the revolver while going to pack her belongings, and that while grabbing the weapon in a “rapid fashion,” the gun discharged and struck Baker, who was on the bed and fell to the floor, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Hamilton’s arrest.
Hamilton told investigators she and Baker had previously dated, then maintained a friendship for about a year, according to the affidavit.
In addition to third-degree murder, Hamilton was charged with involuntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a minor, and carrying a firearm without a license.
She is awaiting arraignment and will be held at the Montgomery County Youth Center.