Dad jailed after girl, 10, was shot to death at home

Posted Friday, Dec. 25, 2009

By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR.

A 10-year-old Denton County girl was shot in the face Christmas Eve night and died on a dining room table, authorities said.

Her father was taken into custody early Christmas morning, a Denton County official said Friday.

The girl, identified as Ashley Watrous, was pronounced dead at her home in the 500 block of Naylor Road in Oak Point, which is in Denton County on the shore of Lake Lewisville.

"The brother of the victim called authorities and said she had been shot by her father," said Tom Reedy, a spokesman for the Denton County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities did not provide any other details of the shooting.

Oak Point police and Texas Ranger Tracy Murphee are investigating the case, and the Sheriff’s Department provided a crime scene team, Reedy said.

Authorities identified Ashley’s father as Duke Lawrence Watrous, 36, who was booked into the Denton County Jail about 3 a.m. Friday.

Watrous remained in jail with bail set at $200,000.

According to Denton County criminal court records, Watrous has an injury to a child charge pending against him. He was booked into the Denton County Jail on that charge April 1 and was released on bail the next day, records show.

From: http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1853941.html