Dad crashes while fleeing police, then 6-year-old found shot dead in car, NC cops say

A 6-year-old girl was found with a fatal gunshot wound in a crashed car after her dad was accused of taking her from home in the middle of the night, North Carolina authorities said.

The dad also shot himself and is in critical condition, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

The girl’s mom called 911 at around 3 a.m. on March 24 to report the father of her child had taken their young daughter and a vehicle from her home in Polkton, which is about a 45-mile drive southeast from Charlotte, investigators said.

“They had a domestic issue in town,” Anson County Sheriff Scott Howell told WCNC. “He had taken the gun, brandished the gun and taken the child.”

About five hours later, a deputy with the Anson County Sheriff’s Office found the Jeep Liberty SUV and started pursuing it, investigators said.

The dad refused to pull over and led authorities on a chase for a few minutes until he crashed in Wadesboro, according to the SBI.

When officers caught up to the car, they reported finding the 6-year-old had been shot to death, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The dad also had a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was hospitalized, authorities said.

Investigators believe the dad shot his daughter, then himself, but it’s unclear if the girl was shot before or after the crash, authorities told McClatchy News.

“Officers with all agencies (did) everything possible to end this incident peacefully and with no harm to anyone,” the Polkton Police Department said in a statement March 24. “All officers handled the situation properly and in accordance with policy procedures and with regard to the safety of the public and everyone else.”

The investigation is ongoing.

This story was originally published March 25, 2025 at 9:30 AM with the headline "Dad crashes while fleeing police, then 6-year-old found shot dead in car, NC cops say."