US girl, 3, dies after accidental shooting on Christmas Day

Authorities in the United States have confirmed a 3-year-old girl from North Carolina has died after an accidental shooting on Christmas Day.

Aylee Gordon was pronounced dead on Tuesday night, US time, at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

"Our beautiful little angel gained her wings last night," her parents told supporters on a GoFundMe page that had been set up to help with medical expenses.

"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the tremendous support to our family, and appreciate continuous prayers."

The page has raised about $26,000 so far.

In an account of the "horrible accident", the page says Aylee suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was subsequently airlifted to hospital.

North Carolina toddler dies after accidentally shooting herself on Christmas

Aylee Gordon, 3, found the gun in the truck of someone visiting the family for the holiday, police say. https://t.co/WztPSwdJc3

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) December 29, 2021

According to the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, the shooting occurred in the rural community of Edneyville. An incident was reported at about 2.30pm on Saturday.

NBC News reports Aylee was the daughter of a retired sheriff's officer, Tim Gordon.

According to 911 audio obtained by NBC affiliate WYFF of Greenville, Gordon phoned emergency responders and said his family had a visitor for the holiday who "accidentally left a gun in his car".

"She picked it up and it went off," he said.

Gordon, who retired from the sheriff's office in 2016, reportedly drove his daughter to a fire station because he was having trouble getting mobile phone reception.

She was then taken to Mission Hospital.

According to the sheriff's office, possible criminal charges will be decided by the local district attorney's office or the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation.

Figures from the US Gun Violence Archive show 1046 children under age 11 have been killed or injured by gunfire in 2021, up from 999 in 2020 and between 600 and 700 in each of the six previous years.