Chicago police charge suspect in slaying of 10-year-old girl

CHICAGO (AP) - The suspected driver of a car from which a 10-year-old girl was shot and killed as she watched television in her grandmother's Chicago home has been charged with first-degree murder, police said Wednesday.

Christopher Lara, 19, is also charged with nine felony counts of attempted first-degree murder in the June 27 killing of Lena Nunez, who was shot in the head in Logan Square, police said.

Lara is the third suspect to be charged in the killing of children in the city in recent days; First-degree murder charges have also been levied against suspects in the July 4 slaying of 7-year-old Natalia Wallace and last Friday's shooting death of 9-year-old Janari Hicks.

Lara, of Streamwood, was arrested Monday and is scheduled to appear in bond court on Thursday.

Police haven't released many details, but previously they said at least one occupant of a car opened fire on gang rivals in Logan Square on the city's Northwest Side. One of the bullets went through a window of a second-floor apartment almost a block away and struck Lena, who was watching TV with her brother.

Police said no other arrests have been made in the case.

Earlier this week, Police Superintendent David Brown said 38 juveniles have been fatally shot in Chicago so far this year.