2-year-old hit by stray bullet recovers, ready for Halloween

CHARLOTTE — On Sept. 15, two-year-old Leiloni Kindard was struck by a stray bullet that was shot into her west Charlotte bedroom and she spent weeks in a hospital.

Now, she is dancing and getting ready for Halloween.

‘Haven’t felt safe’: Apartment shot at again days after 2-year-old was shot

Channel 9′s Glenn Counts spoke with Leiloni and her aunt on Wednesday.

“I understand that tomorrow you are going trick or treating?” Counts asked Leiloni. “What kind of candy are you going to get?”

“A hamburger,” the two-year-old replied.

“So, is that a big piece or a little piece?” Counts asked.

“A big piece,” the little girl said.

‘It was terrible’: 2-year-old shot after shooting at west Charlotte apartments

Leiloni was released from the hospital a couple of weeks ago.

“I don’t think she really realized what happened,” said her Aunt Ceira Parker. “We didn’t really ask her if she remembers what happened because of course, she’s a two-year-old.”

Parker said she visited Leiloni every day in her hospital room.

“She just don’t know how bad of a toll this put on me,” Parker said. “Crying every day. Worried about the process she went through.”

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrested Demetrick McDonald two days after the shooting.

Officers said McDonald was trying to shoot at another unit at the Evoke Living at Westerly Hills apartment complex, which is near Wilkinson Boulevard.

The family is thankful for all the community support they received.

“And the prayers,” Parker said. “There was a lot of people sending her gifts and come see her I thanked the officer that helped me escort her to the hospital. He saw her too and brought her gifts because it was hard for him, as well.”

Hours before Leiloni was shot, she went to Carowinds for the first time.

Last weekend, she went back to the theme park where officials there picked up the tab.