Commonwealth’s Attorney Jesse M. Stockton, Jr. released a statement Monday, July 8, saying he will not pursue criminal charges in the April 30 fatal shooting of a local two-year-old.

Caroline Sparks died in a tragic accident when her brother, Kristian Sparks, age 5, was playing with a .22 caliber rifle and accidentally shot his sister.

The state released by Stockton said he had received and reviewed the case report from the Kentucky State Police.

“Upon applying the facts of the case to all applicable criminal status, the Commonwealth believes there is no probable cause that any crime occurred causing the child’s death,” Stockton said. “Accordingly, this case will not be presented to the Cumberland County Grand Jury.”

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USDA Rural Development State Director Tom Fern announced last week a $90,000 grant to the Community Action of Kentucky, Inc. to support the Cumberland County Recycling Center. The United States Department of Agriculture remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. The announcement is part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

Rural Development funds will be used to provide technical assistance to improve the management, operation, and maintenance of the Cumberland County Recycling Center located in Burkesville in rural Cumberland County, one of Kentucky’s persistent poverty counties. The project will launch a community recycling program while significantly reducing the solid waste stream from the land fill.

“Protecting our environment is critical to the health and safety of rural Kentuckians,” said Fern. “I commend Community Action of Kentucky and the residents and officials in Cumberland County for launching this community recycling program, it is important and will ensure a healthier environment for future generations.”

For more information on other projects funded by USDA Rural Development, please visit Rural Development’s interactive web map featuring program funding and success stories for fiscal years 2009-2012. The data can be found at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/RDSuccessStories.html.