Kansas City, Mo ? A Kansas City teenager was killed when one of her friends accidentally hit her in the head with a golf club, police said.

Sherita Briggs, 14, was hit on the left side of her face and neck by a 14-year-old boy’s follow-through as she stepped behind him Tuesday afternoon.

“She walked behind him at an inopportune time,” homicide Detective Steve Miller said. “It appears to be a tragic accident.”

Three neighborhood boys and Sherita were taking turns hitting golf balls into the woods, police said. Two of the boys were talking to each other while Sherita hung around a 14-year-old neighborhood boy, one of her good friends, who was swinging a pitching wedge.

The boy who struck Sherita went to her aid and saw she was bleeding from the mouth. He ran inside to call 911.

One of the other boys stayed with Sherita, then returned the club to his golf bag in the basement of his home. The boy then waited in the street to direct an ambulance to Sherita.

Police recovered the club from the home.

The boys often would hit golf balls into the woods to pass time, neighbors said. Most of the children in the neighborhood took advantage of the area’s ample lawns.

“They played everything here,” said neighbor Steven Hampton.

Sherita’s parents could not be reached for comment. Her father recently returned from military service in Iraq.