Hunter charged in fatal shooting of girl in home

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Nov 17, 2008 at 7:01 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 17, 2008 at 7:01 PM EST

SWAN LAKE, N.Y. (AP) — A deer hunter has been charged with manslaughter after a bullet he fired killed a toddler inside her grandparents' Hudson Valley home, police said Monday.

Edward Taibi, 45, of New York City, was being held without bail on a second-degree manslaughter charge related to the shooting in rural Sullivan County.

Taibi was hunting from a tree stand Sunday afternoon when he shot a deer. He came down from the stand and fired his .30-caliber rifle again about 400 feet away from a trailer home in Swan Lake, police said.

The bullet penetrated the trailer and hit 16-month-old Charly Skala in the upper body. She was flown to Westchester Medical Center, where she died.

Under state law, it's illegal to discharge a firearm or bow within 500 feet of any occupied residence or business unless the hunter owns or leases the property, or has the owner's consent, according to Maureen Wren of the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Taibi is a friend of the owner of the neighboring property and had hunted there before, said State Police Lt. Pierce Gallagher.

His case was assigned to the Sullivan Legal Aid Bureau, where attorney Jeff Bradley said Monday it was too soon to comment on the case.

Police said the child's parents live in nearby Woodburne. They could not be reached for comment. Several neighbors declined comment Monday afternoon when reached by The Associated Press.

Swan Lake is about 85 miles northwest of New York City.

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