Additional Coverage:
A tragic hunting accident in Delaware has led to the death of a woman who was mistaken for a deer, according to state authorities. Walter Moorhead, 74, a Maryland hunter, has been charged with manslaughter and additional offenses following the incident.
On Friday evening in Ellendale, Delaware, Santos Maria Chilel Soto, 39, was walking through an open field with a man and two children at approximately 7:40 p.m. Meanwhile, Moorhead was hunting deer from a ground blind-a concealed structure used by hunters to remain hidden from wildlife. Mistaking Soto for game, Moorhead fired his rifle, striking her.
Responding state troopers administered emergency medical assistance before Soto was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Moorhead faces multiple felony charges, including manslaughter for recklessly causing another’s death, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. After posting a $43,000 cash bond, he was released from custody. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Soto was a mother of five and a cherished aunt, remembered fondly by her family and community. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist her family with funeral expenses and the cost of repatriating her remains to Guatemala. As of Monday evening, the fundraiser had raised approximately $12,000.
This heartbreaking event underscores the dangers inherent in hunting accidents and the profound impact on families left behind. Authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.