KALISPELL – A man accused in the shooting death of a Flathead Valley toddler has pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide.
Dwayne Smail entered the plea Thursday in state District Court in Kalispell.
Smail is charged in the death of 19-month-old Korbyn Williams, who was fatally shot on March 5th while 23-year-old Smail was babysitting the child.
According to court documents, Smail told investigators he placed a 9 mm pistol, which had no safety, on an exposed portion of his bed’s box spring before he went to sleep. He said he awoke to Korbyn tapping him on the shoulder and holding the gun.
Smail said that when he tried to grab the gun from her, it went off. The girl died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators have said they do not believe the toddler was holding the gun when she was killed.