A three-year-old girl has died after she accidentally shot herself on Christmas Day, according to US authorities.

Aylee Gordon was pronounced dead at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, where she was being treated following the shooting in Edneyville.

She was the daughter of retired Henderson County Sheriff’s Captain Tim Gordon, sheriff’s spokesman Johnny Duncan said.

Mr Gordon phoned emergency responders and said his family had a visitor over the festive period who accidentally left a gun in his car, according to a 911 call.

“She picked it up and it went off,” he said, according to the recording, obtained by NBC affiliate WYFF.

Mr Gordon, who retired from the sheriff’s office in 2016, drove Aylee to a fire station because he was having difficulties with mobile phone reception, WYFF reported.

She was then taken to Mission Hospital, about 20 miles away.

Man who served 24 years behind bars for murder in North Carolina pardoned

Missing girl found after using hand signals that went viral on TikTok to show she was in danger

Boy, 3, killed after nearly 150 bullets fired at house in North Carolina

Possible criminal charges will be decided by the local district attorney’s office or the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, the sheriff’s office said.

Neither agency responded to requests for comment, NBC reported.

Further details about the shooting, which happened on Saturday afternoon, were not immediately available.

Related posts:

Child among four killed in California office shooting ‘You have to relive everything’: George Floyd’s brother on agony of trial UK variant in every US state as experts warn COVID-19 ‘is not done with us’ Has Donald Trump found a way around his social media ban? Former president to commentate on boxing match on 20th anniversary of 9/11 ‘Santa, please bring ammo’: Republican congressman criticised for Christmas tweet Remains found in car belonging to US student who disappeared 45 years ago ‘It will be an intimate affair and we are fine with it’ – Golden Globes boycott not true, organiser says At least 19 dead and more than 30 injured as fire tears through New York apartment building Maxwell prosecutors will drop perjury charges if no retrial in sex trafficking case Duke of York sex assault allegations – What’s next and what are his options? Leader of far-right militia Oath Keepers charged with seditious conspiracy over US Capitol riot