Brother charged in death of Goessel teenager

The brother of a 15-year-old Goessel girl who died of a gunshot wound is being charged with one count of involuntary man?slaughter, according Marion County Sheriff Rob Craft.

Jodi Campbell, rural Goessel, died Jan. 6 when she was wounded in the lower neck in a shooting incident at her home.

Ethan Campbell, 19, was booked Jan. 9 in the Marion County Jail, then released Jan. 10 on a $10,000 own-recognizance bond.

According to Kansas statutes, involuntary manslaughter is the unintentional killing of a human being committed either recklessly, in the commission of a felony or during the commission of a lawful act in an unlawful manner.

The charge is a severity level 5, person felony, Craft said.

Arriving at the scene of 266, 90th Road, shortly after 11 a.m., Craft said Jodi Campbell was shot with a .22 caliber rifle.

Details remain sketchy at press time as to what led to the fatal shooting.

Within hours after the incident, Craft did say there was no truth to rumors that the victim?s brother was cleaning the gun when it accidentally went off through the floor or a wall of the house.

Craft said others at the scene included Marion County Unders?heriff Dave Huntley, Deputy Jim Philpott, agents from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Marion County Emergency Medical Services, Goessel EMS, Hesston EMS and Hesston ambulance.

Services for the girl were Jan. 9 at Meridian Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, two miles east and two miles north of Hesston.

Jodi Campbell was born Feb. 6, 1995, to Roger and Marla Schmidt Campbell at Moundridge.

In addition to her parents and brother, Ethan, she is survived by siblings Tyler, Jesse and Ivan, all of the home; grandmothers June Campbell of Goessel and Beatrice Riggs of Moundridge.

Memorials may be made to the Meadowlark Christian School or the Gospel Tract and Bible Society and sent in care of Moundridge Funeral Home, 115 W. Cole St., Moundridge, KS 67107-8830.

Earlier shooting

This was the second teenager shot in less than a week, Craft said.

A second incident happened at 4:40 p.m. Jan. 1 in the 700 block of North Newell, Peabody.

?The victim was transported by private vehicle to the ambulance building in Peabody,? Craft said.

According to information released bu authorities, a 14-year-old was handling a rifle when it discharged, striking another juvenile male in the left arm and leg.

?The injured juvenile male was flown to Wesley Medical Center for treatment of a single gun shot wound to the left arm and both legs,? Craft said.

Both shootings are still under investigation.

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