Hudson Valley Father Accused of Shooting Child

A jury reached their verdict in a case that accused a Hudson Valley father of shooting his child several times.

On Friday in Ulster County Court, a jury of seven men and five women found 24-year-old Andrew Wellington not guilty of assault.

Wellington was charged on February 24, 2017, after his 3-year-old daughter was taken to the hospital and had a BB pellet removed from her lip.

Hospital personnel told police the child had four other wounds consistent with being shot by a BB or pellet gun. The other wounds were on her temple, neck, hand and torso.

Wellington told hospital staff that his daughter shot herself while she was upstairs alone in her room.

A police investigation alleged that no one other than Wellington was with the child when she was injured.

According to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, at the trial the victim, now 4, was allowed to testify although, given her age, her testimony was unsworn. She explained that her father had shot her.

Wellington did not testify.

Wellington has prior misdemeanor and felony convictions and remains in jail pending hearings on his violation of probation.

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