Pregnant teenager blames YouTube prank gone wrong for boyfriend's fatal shooting

Monalisa Perez and Pedro Ruiz III in one of their YouTube videos. Credit: YouTube/La MonaLisa

A teenager has been charged over the fatal shooting of her boyfriend in what she told police was a YouTube prank gone wrong.

Monalisa Perez was charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of Pedro Ruiz III.

  • A prank video from the couple's YouTube channel

The pregnant 19-year-old told police Ruiz wanted to make a YouTube video of her shooting a bullet into a book he was holding against his chest, while she fired the gun from one foot (30cm) away.

Ahead of the stunt the mother-of-one tweeted about her reservations about the prank.

Credit: Twitter/Monalisa Perez

Authorities said Ruiz died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

The Minnesotan couple had a YouTube channel in which they vlogged about "the real life of a young couple who happen to be teen parents" as well as posting pranks.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Perez told authorities Ruiz wanted to make a YouTube video of her shooting a bullet into a book he was holding against his chest. Credit: Northwest Regional Corrections Center via AP