NEW YORK — Rome Police are currently investigating the death of a 7 month old infant. Shortly before 4 pm on Saturday, November 28th. police responded to 519 W. Dominick Street in Rome for a report of an injured child. Upon arrival, police located a 7 month old infant deceased inside the residence.
The baby had been fatally shot.
From Rome Police: “The investigation determined that at the time of this incident, 3 adults along with the child victim were in the livingroom of the apartment. One of the adults, identified as 18 year old Henry W. Bartle, who resides at the 519 W. Domininck Street apartment along with his girlfriend, who was also present and resides in the apartment with Bartle and the child to whom she is the mother and a third adult male who was visiting the apartment. Bartle had taken out his 12 gauge shotgun in order to clean the weapon and did so in the livingroom with all of the occupants present.
He also loaded the weapon. He then installed an accessory grip onto the shotgun. At that time, Bartle, who had the shotgun laying on his lap with the muzzle pointed in the direction of the child, attempted to stand up while still holding the gun. As he did, the shotgun fired and the projectile struck the child in the upper body area.
A call was then placed to 911. Bartle is charged with one count of Criminally Negligent Homicide, a class E felony and is being held in the Oneida County Correctional Facility. Additional charges are possible through Grand Jury Action. The identity of the child is being withheld at this time to allow family and extended family members time to be notified of the childs death.
Rome Police were assisted by members of the Utica Police Department and the Oneida County Sheriffs Office, Amcare Ambulance and the Rome Fire Department”