- 19-year-old Georgia teen charged with involuntary manslaughter
- Victim Nina Ramirez, 19, fatally shot in head at Lawrenceville home
- Police say couple were “playing” with a loaded gun during sleepover
- Suspect Sebastian Prestridge remains in jail without bond
A 19-year-old Georgia man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after police say he accidentally shot his girlfriend in the head during a sleepover at her home.
According to the Lawrenceville Police Department, Sebastian Prestridge, 19, allegedly discharged a firearm that struck Nina Ramirez, also 19, in the head just after midnight on Thursday. Responding officers arrived at the residence shortly before 1:30 a.m. to find Ramirez unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.
Authorities confirmed that Prestridge remained at the location and cooperated fully with investigators. He was later arrested and booked into the Gwinnett County Jail, where he is being held without bond.
Police said the initial investigation indicates the shooting was unintentional. In an interview with WSB-TV, Maria Carmen Ramirez, the victim’s mother, said the pair were “playing with a gun” they did not realize was loaded. The weapon reportedly belonged to another friend present during the sleepover.
Despite the devastating outcome, Maria Ramirez told reporters she does not harbor anger toward her daughter’s boyfriend. “When you get mad and these things happen, you want to find someone guilty, but I think it was just an accident,” she said. “He loved her.”
In a Facebook statement, Captain Dena Pauly of the Lawrenceville Police Department described the case as “an incredibly tragic situation,” offering condolences to the Ramirez family.
The fatal incident has reignited national attention on gun safety education, firearm storage laws, and accidental shootings involving young adults. Across the United States, gun-related deaths among teens continue to raise concerns about responsible ownership and access to loaded weapons in homes.
Authorities have not disclosed who owned the firearm involved in the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors review evidence related to the charge of involuntary manslaughter.
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