Arizona father indicted after 9-year-old son fatally shoots 5-year-old sister with AR-style rifle stored in bedroom
Ramos-Jimenez faces child-abuse and weapons charges after authorities say the AR-style rifle was kept on a high shelf in a bedroom closet, leading to the fatal shooting of Layla Ramos.
An Arizona man has been indicted on multiple felony counts after his nine-year-old son used an AR-style rifle stored in the boy’s bedroom to fatally shoot his five-year-old sister, Layla Ramos. Maricopa County prosecutors announced Wednesday that Irvin Ramos-Jimenez, 33, faces charges including one count of child abuse, a class three dangerous felony, and a domestic violence offense. Investigators said the weapon was kept on a high shelf in the boy’s closet, within easy reach of a child.
A Phoenix jury previously indicted Ramos-Jimenez on one count of child abuse in August, authorities said. Prosecutors contend he purchased the weapon illegally through a private sale for personal protection, despite admitting to police that he knew he was not allowed to own a firearm. Arizona does not require private gun sellers to perform background checks, a gap cited by investigators in this case.
Police reports indicate emergency responders were first dispatched to the family’s psychiatric hospital for a stabbing that evening, but investigators later learned Layla had been shot. Ramos-Jimenez allegedly fled the psychiatric ward when ambulances arrived to take Layla to a trauma hospital, then returned home to look after his other children with the gun still in the house. He was arrested that day on the weapons offenses.
Layla’s family posted a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses, describing her as a 'little princess who got her wings way too soon.' The case is being handled by Maricopa County prosecutors, and Ramos-Jimenez’s trial is scheduled to begin in March 2026.