Toddler Shot with an Illegal Gun in the Bedroom – Wayward Adults Arrested
RAMONA – A 2-year-old girl was shot by an illegally-possessed and loaded gun in the family bedroom. Three adults witnessed this, and a whirlwind of actions taken after the 10:00 AM incident on 10/03/2021 led to a San Diego County Sheriff’s Department investigation.
First, Deputies learned that the toddler was with her mother and two men: Victoria Tejeda (DOB: 11/18/2000), Tejeda’s boyfriend – Roman Estrada (DOB: 11/04/2002), and Tejeda’s adult brother. The boyfriend was showing the gun to the child’s mother and Victoria’s brother in the family home on the 24000 block of Sargeant Road.
As Estrada held the gun and tried to dissamble it, he pulled the trigger. The weapon fired, and a bullet struck the toddler in her leg.
At this point, the investigation revealed that Tejeda noticed her daughter crying and bleeding, yet “neither Tejeda nor Estrada made any effort to call for emergency medical assistance,” said San Diego Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Daniel Vengler.
Next, the mother and boyfriend drove the child to a clinic in Ramona, and discovered it was closed. They headed to Santee, to the Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Center.
As the mother and daughter were seen in-hospital, the boyfriend stashed the weapon. “Estrada hid the still-loaded gun in the bushes outside of the hospital,” said Lt. Vengler.
The hospital arranged transport for the toddler, via ambulance to Rady Children’s Hospital – where the bullet was removed from her leg. The little girl is reportedly expected to make a full recovery.
Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Center in the 8700 block of Cuyamaca Street in Santee immediately notified the Sheriff’s Department on Sunday, October 3rd, shortly after 11:00 AM. The investigation commenced as Deputies from both Ramona Sheriff’s Substation and Santee Sheriff’s Station arrived at the hospital to interview the toddler’s relations.
Once Estrada gave Investigators his vers on of what had happened – including where he’d hidden the gun – Deputies recovered the loaded weapon from the bushes.
As a result, the arrested 18-year-old Roman Estrada was carted off for booking into San Diego Central Jail. He was handed the charges of child neglect, child endangerment and negligently discharging a firearm.
Estrada’s girlfiend, Victoria Tejeda (20), was arrested and booked into the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility on child neglect and child endangerment charges. She has since posted $100,000 bail, and was released.
The 2-year-old girl is presently in the care of Child Protective Services. The investigation continues.
