MONTICELLO – A Howard Beach man who was hunting in Swan Lake last November when he fired his high powered rifle and killed a baby inside a home, Friday pled guilty to second-degree manslaughter.

Edward Taibi, 45, had been hunting on property off Horseshoe Lake Road when he fired two shots from his rifle within 400 feet of a mobile home where 16-month-old Charley Skala of Woodbourne, and her grandmother were located.

When sentenced in October, he will receive two to eight years in state prison.

The guilty plea came in Sullivan County Court as District Attorney Stephen Lungen was preparing for a trial.

“This was not an accident; this was a recklessly caused death because in the location and manner in which Mr. Taibi fired his high-powered 300 magnum Winchester rifle, he was in such close proximity to the residence, which was in his view at the time of his shooting that he should have never fired any of the shots, let alone the first shot, especially the second shot, which was even closer.”

Lungen termed the resolution “fair.” But said nothing could make the family pleased.