CINCINNATI (AP) — A 3-year-oldi girl wounded by gunfire wasnot hit by a stray bullet from a gun
battle, Cincinnati police saidThursday as they accused her mother and a male friend of
misleadinginvestigators.The adults initially said the man was carrying thegirl outside while taking out the
trash when she was struck by a bulleton Tuesday, but the mother later acknowledged they created a
falseaccount of what happened based on gunfire that had been reported in thearea, police said in a
statement.Police did not disclose what they believe actually happened.Investigatorssaid the girl’s mother,
Ebony McDavis, 28, is charged with misdemeanorfalsification. Her friend Cordero Warren, 24, is charged with
evidencetampering and having weapons under disability, both felonies.Court records did not list attorneys
for McDavis or Warren as of Thursday.Police said more charges may be filed as the investigation
continues.Cincinnati’snew police chief, frustrated by a "no snitches" tradition among
someresidents, had earlier asked people to help police and their communityby coming forward with information
about a reported gunbattle in whichthe child was allegedly wounded by a stray bullet."It’ssenseless,
and a 3-year-old girl doesn’t have a voice," Chief JeffreyBlackwell said Wednesday. "I’m angry
today as the police chief that thistype of violence is happening. When it affects children, it affects
mepersonally."Police initially said the girl was wounded about 2:30a.m. Tuesday amid a series of shots
fired in the Avondale neighborhood.At the time of the shooting, there had been several 911 calls
regardingshots fired in the area, but they were not related to the child’sinjury, police said in their
statement Thursday.Police say the child’s condition has stabilized, after she was hospitalized in critical
condition.There was a $2,000 reward offered for information in the case.Blackwell,who came from Columbus
Police three months ago to take overCincinnati’s department, pledged to the community that those
involvedwill be held responsible."I have a responsibility to this community to keep it as safe as I
can," he said.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.