South Jersey Cop Charged In Death Of 8-Year-Old Daughter: Prosecutor

A Stratford Police officer has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child in the death of his 8-year-old daughter, who died from a gunshot wound on New Year's Eve.

Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo announced the charges Friday afternoon, saying Kenneth Righter, 46, left a loaded gun unsecured and accessible to his three children in his home.

According to authorities, Stratford Police responded to a 911 call in the first block of Union Avenue at about 1:50 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2016, for the report of an unresponsive person. Before law enforcement or emergency personnel responded, the child’s mother took her to JFK Hospital in Stratford, where she died from a gunshot wound.

Although the prosecutor’s office previously reported that the child had died suddenly, Friday was the first time it said she was shot or that her mother had taken her to the hospital.

Righter faces three counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He was also charged with storage of firearms if minors may have access, a disorderly persons offense. The children involved were ages 8, 14 and 17.

Righter will be suspended from the Stratford Police Department without pay. The investigation is ongoing.

An investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office revealed that Righter kept his personal .357 revolver, loaded and unsecured, on a shelf, which was within the reach of the children.

It wasn't clear how the girl, previously identified by nj.com as Sailor Lane Righter, was shot or who shot her.

She had two siblings, previously identified in her obituary as Sheamus and Bryce.

It was one of her siblings who called 911, according to philly.com.

"My mom just went upstairs and found her, and she told me to call 911," he told the dispatcher, according to the report. "She's not breathing."

Sailor Righter was a member of the Sterling Lady Knights Cheerleading organization, which called her “a glowing young lady who’s loss has touched so many,” in a Facebook post.

The Sterling Lady Knights established a memorial fund in her memory. Checks can be sent to “Sailor Knight Memorial Fund” c/o Stratford Police Department, 315 Union Avenue, Stratford, NJ, 08084. In-person donations can be made out to Sailor Righter Memorial Fund, c/0 TD Bank of Stratford, 55 South White Horse Pike, Stratford, NJ 08084.

The attached image of Sailor Righter was posted with her obituary by Zale Funeral Home