LAPLACE — No charges will be filed in the fatal shooting of LaPlace 5-year-old Haley Moore.

A St. John the Baptist Parish grand jury returned a no true bill last week on charges of negligent homicide against her father, Eric Moore, according to District Attorney Bridget Dinvaut.

Haley was killed May 21, according to a police report, when a Springfield XP .45 caliber handgun she was handling discharged while Eric Moore was in the shower.

The first police responders encountered a delicate scene where Haley was laying on her left side in the kitchen in a pool of blood. Deputies began CPR and located possible entry/exit wounds on her chest and back. Haley died later that day at a local hospital as a result of injuries suffered from the shooting.

The responding officer located the handgun with the magazine removed and one spent casing. Eric Moore, according to the incident report, told authorities his three children, including Haley, were dropped off at his home at approximately 9 a.m. that morning by their grandmother for his scheduled visitation, which takes place every other weekend.

While he was in the shower at approximately 9:40 a.m., he heard a “loud pop,” the report read, leading Eric Moore to rush out of the bathroom and find Haley. After contacting 911, Eric Moore said he cleared the firearm, removing a round from the chamber and placed the gun on a desk.

Sheriff Mike Tregre said his office determined the shooting was accidental and turned over the evidence to the District Attorney’s office.

Tregre said he respected the findings of the grand jury, sentiments echoed by Dinvaut, who said she was satisfied with the findings.

Dinvaut said it was her decision to take the case to the grand jury.

“When the evidence submitted to us is not very clear or is not sufficient, we will utilize the grand jury to present that evidence to the panel for them to make the probable cause determination,” she said. “The Sheriff’s Office investigation did not submit sufficient evidence that proved the elements of a crime for a probable cause, so there was no probable cause determination.”

Dinvaut said her office could review the case again if potential new evidence was submitted; however, Tregre said his office considered  the investigation closed.