DETROIT – A 45-year-old Detroit man has been sentenced to two to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in the death of a 13-year-old girl who was shot with his rifle.
Cirla Bingham was killed Jan. 27 when prosecutors said she was shot while she and Ivan Berrien's 14-year-old son were playing with a rifle that was in the home.
Prosecutors said Bingham, Berrien's son and three other children between the ages of 5 and 7 were home alone at the time because Berrien had left to pick up a pizza.
Berrien pleaded guilty in May to child abuse and felony firearm. He was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison for the felony firearm charge and two to 10 years on the child abuse charge.
"I never intended for nothing like this to happen. I was trying to help someone else's kids. I bear the responsibility for having a gun in the house. It was there for the protection of my family because I live in a bad neighborhood. I never intended for anybody to get hurt by it," Berrien said.
The prosecution said the situation could have been avoided if Berrien had a gun lock or a case.
-- Cirla Bingham