A week ago, four-year-old Yanelly Zoller was staying at her grandparents’ home in Florida when she reached into her grandmother’s purse looking for a sweet treat, but instead found a gun.
Yanelly, known to her family as ‘Nelly,’ accidentally pulled the trigger, shooting herself to death.
The toddler was pronounced dead from a single gunshot wound to the chest on September 14 at the Tampa residence of her paternal grandparents, Michael and Christie Zoller.
Tragedy: Yanelly Zoller (left) was staying at her grandparents’ home in Florida when she reached into her grandma Christie’s (right) purse looking for candy, but instead found a gun
Gone too soon: Family say the toddler, pictured above with her dog, accidentally pulled the trigger, fatally shooting herself in the chest
Her 22-year-old father Shane Zoller told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday that he was on his way to pick up Nelly to take her to the local splash pads when he saw police vehicles with their lights flashing outside his parents’ home.
‘She just wanted some damn candy,’ Zoller said of his late daughter’s motivation to reach into her grandmother’s bag.
Tampa police told the newspaper they are investigating the case, but have no reason to doubt Zoller’s version of events.
Shane Zoller was still 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. He now has one surviving child, a son, and another on the way.
Young dad: Nelly’s father, 22-year-old Shane Zoller, had her while he was still in high school. Dad and daughter are pictured on the left on the day of Shane’s graduation. He also has a son (pictured with Nelly, right), and another child on the way
Nelly was said to have been very attached to her paternal grandmother, Christie Zoller (pictured above)
According to her obituary, Nelly Zoller loved playing with her puppy, watching the animated series Shimmer and Shine, jumping on the couch and doing her makeup.
Family members have launched fundraisers on the sites GoFundMe.com and YouCaring.com to help Nelly’s parents with her funeral expenses.
As of Thursday morning, just under $1,700 has been raised from both campaigns.
‘Our little angel’s life was short-lived, however her beauty and magic will linger forever,’ the description of the YouCaring campaign read. ‘In her 4 years of life, she touched so many lives as an Angel from God would, a little Angel sent to us from Heaven. Now she is back in God’s arms’