Doctors at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center operated yesterday on Jacquette Bianca Dennis, the 4-year-old girl who was hit in the head by a stray bullet on a West Baltimore street last week.

The doctors closed her scalp and skull wounds but did not attempt to remove the bullet lodged in her head, a hospital spokeswoman said. The bullet won't be removed until the brain swelling is under control, the spokeswoman said.

In a statement, Dr. David Nichols, the director of the pediatric intensive care unit, said Jacquette "has continued to make steady improvements, although she responds only occasionally to commands and she still has weakness on her right side." She remained in critical but stable condition last night.

The girl was shot Aug. 23 while she played outside a social club in the 2700 block of Pennsylvania Ave. as her father stood nearby, police said. A 16-year-old boy is in custody and charged as an adult with attempted murder in the shooting.