SAN JUAN – A stray bullet pierced the ceiling of a home above the spot where a 3-month-old baby sleeps in Hidalgo County.

The San Juan family wasn’t home when the bullet went through their roof. They said they were out celebrating New Year’s Eve with other family members.

The father of the family requested to keep his identity private. He said he didn’t want to have to call police on New Year’s Eve either.

He said they were surprised to find a bullet hole in their bedroom. The bullet pierced the ceiling above the spot where their newborn sleeps.

“We found a bullet on our floor next to our baby’s crib. About a foot away from our baby’s crib,” the father said.

After seeing the damage, the dad said he couldn’t imagine what injuries the bullet could’ve caused to his 3-month-old.

“We probably got lucky. If we’d have been there, our beds in another position, it could have ended up a tragedy,” he said.

Hidalgo County spokesperson Sgt. J.P. Rodriguez said they’ve warned people every year of the dangers of celebratory gunfire.

“Many times that bullet is going to come down with enough force to cause property damage, serious bodily injury or even death,” he said.

Despite their efforts to stop this tradition, he said they respond to instances like these every year.

San Juan police took the bullet as evidence. They said a person caught recklessly firing a gun in the air can face criminal charges.

However, police said it’s hard for them to catch the culprits in the act. It’s even harder for them to investigate the incident after it happened.