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New charges filed in Oklahoma teen's shooting death

Posted at 7:22 AM, Jan 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-21 08:22:50-05

McLOUD, Okla. (AP) -- New charges have been filed in the shooting death of an Oklahoma high school sophomore that authorities originally said appeared to be accidental.

Officials say 16-year-old Kaylen Thomas was shot in the head on Oct. 5 at her friend's home in McLoud, about 24 miles (39 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City.

The state medical examiner's office has ruled that her death was a homicide, and McLoud Police Chief Tom Pringle says investigators no longer believe that the shooting was an accident.

A 15-year-old girl was initially charged with first-degree manslaughter in the case. But court records in Pottawatomie County indicate that the charge was elevated to second-degree murder on Friday.

In addition, prosecutors filed a second-degree murder charge on Wednesday against a second suspect in the case, a 17-year-old girl.

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