A Wisconsin family is grieving the tragic loss of their 11-year-old daughter who was fatally shot by her 15-year-old brother, in what family members described as an accident, officials said.
Although the authorities have not released her name, the victim was identified by her parents as Carolanah Schenk, a sixth-grader at Forest Edge Elementary School, People Magazine reported.
On Tuesday around 9:30 p.m., Fitchburg Police officer and emergency personnel responded to a report of a person who had been shot at an apartment in the 5100 block of Curry Court.
Emergency personnel transported Schenk to a local hospital, where she died from injuries she sustained in the shooting.
The 15-year-old boy, whose name has not been released, was taken into custody and booked into the Dane County Juvenile Reception Center on a tentative charge of homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon, according to a release by the Fitchburg Police Department.
The department said the investigation into the circumstances of the handling of the shooting remains open and active.
“The Fitchburg Police Department recognizes the community’s desire to learn more about this tragic incident. Because of the open status of this case and future proceedings in the juvenile justice system, we currently cannot confirm some information or share additional details,” the department said. “Resources remain committed to completing the investigation to the fullest extent possible. As the investigation continues, additional pieces of information could be made available for public release.”
A GoFundMe page has been created by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County to help the family with funeral expenses, counseling services for siblings, and the family of the young girl.
The parents of Schenk said their daughter loved playing video games with her brothers and father. She loved arts and crafts, loved dogs and enjoyed posting funny pictures and videos of herself and others on TikTok and Instagram.
“Our daughter meant the world to us and this has devastated our family,” they wrote. “We are asking the community to help put our baby to rest and we need your assistance during this difficult time.”
In another statement, the parents revealed their son was involved in the incident. The family thanked all those who have shown their support, WMTV News reported.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your calls and support over the last 48 hours. Our attention is now being focused on coordinating our daughter’s funeral while at the same time praying that our son is represented and supported,” the family statement read. “This has been a horrific few days for our family and our goal is to get our son the legal support he needs as this accident has taken an emotional toll on all of us. If you can respect our privacy over the next few days, we need time to grieve and digest all that has occurred. God bless and thank you all for understanding.”
As of Monday, more than $32,000 had been raised, exceeding their initial goal of $25,000.