A grandmother was shot dead while holding a child in her garden on Christmas Day. Sandra Phelps, known as Sandy to her loved ones, was sitting with her family when a bullet tore through her arm and into her chest.

It was fired by her neighbour, Cody Wayne Adams, who was reportedly testing a new gun he had been given for Christmas. Emergency services rushed to the scene but Sandra was pronounced dead around 20 minutes later. Adams, 33, was arrested on Boxing Day and has since been charged with first-degree manslaughter.

As reported by The Sun, he lived around half a mile away from Sandra's home in Comanche, Oklahoma. The 33-year-old admitted firing his new Glock.45 calibre handgun at a Red Bull can in his garden.

His neighbours reported hearing five to seven shots over several minutes. Investigating police officers recovered multiple shell casings from his garden as well as a Red Bull can he had been aiming at.

It has been determined that his line of fire aligned directly with the lights of the emergency vehicles at Sandra's home. This confirmed the deadly shot and Adams was arrested.

However, when he was told his gunfire was suspected of killing the beloved grandmother, he "became visibly upset and began to cry". Police allege he was "shooting towards the ground in his backyard that there was nothing behind his property to stop any bullets from traveling beyond his property and hurting someone."

Sandra's granddaughter told News 9: "This neighbourhood used to be filled with kids and every one of them called her 'Nanny'."

A second granddaughter, Amanda Winslett, said: "We just want her to be remembered for who she was. She was a wonderful, loving person and she will always be with us."

Her grandchildren said: "Whatever we wanted to do, she would go with us and do it. Get a tattoo? Nanny would get one with you."

Her family say they find comfort knowing she is reunited with her late husband of more than 50 years. They said: "Yes. We know 100 per cent she is with Papa."