A 5-year-old girl accidentally shot herself dead after her mother left her at home and went shopping, police have said. Officers responded to reports of gun shots around 10.50am on Sunday morning in New Orleans and found the girl in a bedroom.

She was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head and was rushed to hospital. The youngster was put on life support for several hours but was later pronounced dead.

A spokesman for the New Orleans police department said "A preliminary investigation indicates the child was home alone and had somehow come into contact with .38 revolver and accidentally shot herself in the head."

The girl was discovered injured by her mother on her return to their home in North Galvez Street in the 7th Ward. A neighbour told the New Orleans newspaper The Advocate she came out screaming "Lord help me, my child is dying."

Another neighbour told The Advocate the mother called him over as he was cleaning his shoes on the porch and he saw the girl gasping for air.

He told the paper "I seen it. She was next to a pillow, on her back, a hole in her head. I ain't touch her. I just look at her. I said, 'Who shot your daughter?' She said, 'I don't know'."

According to The Advocate, a third neighbour, ex-marine Charles Pelton, heard the gun go off. "It was one shot, small calibre," he told the newspaper.

The girl's mother, 28-year-old Laderika Smith, was arrested and police initially said they would be charging her with second-degree murder. It was not initially clear who owned the gun, although a man who lives at the property told the Advocate he was keeping it for someone else.

Police have yet to release the name of the dead 5-year-old, with relatives still to be informed of her death. The youngster's cousin, Danielle Carter, told the Advocate: "I'm a strong person. It's a lot to deal with. Kids don't ask for this. Kids don't deserve this."

A post mortem was due to take place on Monday morning.