Sheriff: 12-year-old Arlington girl dies in accidental shooting in Cle Elum

SEATTLE -- A 12-year-old Arlington girl died Tuesday from injuries she received in an accidental shooting on Sunday, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office said.

The girl, Sydney Darnell, was taken off life support and died Tuesday at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center.

The sheriff's office, in a news release titled "Accidental shooting claims the life of 12 year old Arlington girl", said Sydney and her mother, Kiara Darnell, were visiting Kiara's boyfriend, Sean Frick, 52, at his home in Cle Elum on Sunday.

"Frick and Sydney were target practicing with a lever action 22 rifle," the sheriff's news release said. "Sydney had just shot the rifle and wanted to go check the target so she had laid the rifle down on the deck railing so she could (run) down the hill. Mr. Frick noticed she had left the rifle loaded with the hammer cocked back so he attempted to make the rifle safe. The gun went off when he attempted to lower the hammer. Sydney ... had walked off the deck and was right in the direct path of the round."

The sheriff's office said the mother called 911 while Frick started CPR on Sydney, who was unresponsive. Sydney was airlifted to Harborview, where she was put on life support. She was taken off life support on Tuesday and died.

"The Sheriff's Office is working with the County Coroner and the King County Medical Examiner on the investigation," the news release said.