ABC News October 24, 2019

Man charged after 2-year-old girl shot dead in mother's arms in Philadelphia home

WATCH: Man charged in shooting death of 2-year-old girl

A 30-year-old man has been charged with murder after bullets from an automatic rifle ripped through a Philadelphia home, fatally shooting a 2-year-old girl in the head.

Two-year-old Nikolette Rivera was in her mother's arms in her North Philadelphia home Sunday afternoon when she was struck in the head, according to Philadelphia police.

(MORE: Politician 'stunned' by shootings of 2-year-old, 11-month-old looks to combat Philadelphia violence)

A man cleaning carpets in the home was shot in the abdomen and hospitalized "in critical, but stable condition," police said. Nikolette's mother suffered a gunshot to the arm and a graze wound to the head, said police.

Freddie Perez, 30, was taken into custody on Tuesday. He was formally charged Wednesday with charges including murder, said police.

Philadelphia Police Department
Freddie Perez, 30-years-old, was taken into custody on Oct. 22, 2019, in Chester, P.A.

On Wednesday, a second male suspect was taken into custody on unrelated charges, according to police.

(MORE: 11-month-old shot 4 times in grave condition, 2-year-old shot dead in mom's arms; police beg public for information)

"He has not yet been formally charged, so at this time we cannot identify him," police said Thursday. "This remains a highly active and fluid investigation."

WPVI
An empty bullet shell is seen in the area where a two-year old girl was killed in Philadelphia on Oct. 19, 2019.

Nikolette's death came one day after an 11-month-old boy was shot four times, including in the head and neck, while he was in the back of a car in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Hunting Park.

(MORE: 11-month-old clinging to life after being shot 4 times in back seat of car)

He has no chance for a full recovery and if he survives he most likely will be a quadriplegic, Philadelphia Police Capt. Nicholas Brown said Monday.

The little boy remains in critical condition, police said Thursday, and no arrests have been made.