Little Fresno girl who was shot taking steps towards normal life, as newly revealed video offers new perspective on crime

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A 10-month-old girl who was shot in the head as her mother tried to get away from a man's unwanted advances last summer is taking some big steps towards a normal life.

RELATED: Chief Dyer: Suspect who shot 10-month-old girl in Central Fresno 'had no remorse'

Baby Fayth is now 18 months old and literally took her first steps last week.

Action News has an exclusive look at the shooting itself and a firsthand account from the girl's mother.

The June 2019 party ended in a hurry for Deziree Menagh when Marcos Echartea took interest in her.

"I guess he had to use the restroom and that's when he tried pulling my arm into the bathroom," she said.

She got away, but he found her again and she decided to grab her sleeping 10-month-old daughter and leave quickly with the friend who brought her.

But Deziree lived right across the street, so they didn't go far and came back hoping things had calmed down.

"And what did Marcos do at that point?" asked prosecutor David Olmos.

"Shot at the car," Deziree said.

Surveillance video shows the car coming back to the neighborhood and slowing to a stop with its headlights out, then moving forward again.

Deziree says that's when she saw Echartea come out of nowhere.

The video shows a gunman firing at least two shots and one of them hit Baby Fayth in the head.

"We just kept driving because I looked down and I just saw blood everywhere," Deziree said.

"And where did you see the blood?" asked Olmos.

"On my daughter," she said.

Deziree took off her shirt, wrapped it around her daughter's head, and applied pressure.

The driver, Travon Alexander, called 911 and they flagged down a police officer about a mile away.

As police investigated the shooting, Action News cameras recorded a critical piece of evidence: the bullet hole through the car's closed window.

It's important because Echartea's defense attorney is exploring whether the 24-year-old shot in self-defense.

"Did you see Travon reaching for anything?" asked defense attorney Greg Gross.

"No," Deziree said.

"Did you see Travon exhibit a weapon of any sort?" Gross asked.

"No," she responded.

A judge is expected to decide Friday if there's enough evidence for Echartea to stand trial for three counts of attempted murder and 13 other felonies.