Michael Tejeda, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and two counts of aggravated child endangerment after his 3-year-old daughter accidentally shot and killed her younger sister at a home in Kansas.

The plea deal prevented him from facing a more serious charge of first-degree murder committed during the commission of a felony.

The incident occurred on February 28, 2025 at the family home located in Wichita, Kansas, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KAKE, an ABC affiliate based in Wichita.

3-year-old girl shot her younger sister

Tejeda called 911 after the incident and reported that her oldest daughter had accidentally shot her one-year-old sister.

Investigators noted that the man admitted to having fallen asleep while taking care of the minors in the mother's absence.

He also explained that he was carrying a gun in a holster that did not properly secure the weapon.

Later, he said he removed the gun and placed the weapon on the living room mantelpiece before going to a bedroom to change clothes.

“I knew I should have put it somewhere else,” Tejeda told investigators, according to court records.

The baby died from a head injury

Minutes later, the defendant said he heard a loud bang and found his 3-year-old daughter crying.

He then discovered the baby with a gunshot wound to the head while she was lying on a living room couch.

The authorities indicated that the weapon was found next to the injured minor.

The investigation also revealed that Tejeda knew that the older girl had previously shown curiosity about the firearm.

The sentence will be handed down in July

The surviving child was later taken to a child advocacy center for a forensic interview, although she did not speak about the shooting, according to authorities.

Both the prosecution and defense will recommend an intermediate sentence under Kansas state guidelines, with consecutive serving of the sentences.

Tejeda's sentencing was scheduled for July 9.