Boy shoots intruder dead while home alone with little sister

A little boy shot and killed a burglar who broke into his house while he was home alone with his younger sister.

The 11-year-old fired one shot from a handgun which hit the teenage intruder in the head, it was reported.

Two suspects had allegedly tried to break into the child's home twice before on Thursday, KTVI reports.

One suspect, a 16-year-old boy, broke into the house, in St Louis, Missouri, through an unlocked front door around 2.30pm.

He was shot by the little boy, who was at home with his four-year-old sister.

KTVI reports that the teenager was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the foyer of the home.

The second suspect is believed to have fled when shots were fired, but was later caught and arrested.

The children's mum is being spoken to by police to determine why the youngsters were left alone and how the boy came to have access to the gun.

It is thought the mother purchased the weapon after previous attempts to break into the family home.