Posted on 03/25/2013 5:45:21 PM PDT by Uncle Chip
A 15-year-old suspect charged with murder in the killing of a Brunswick toddler made his first appearance in court Monday morning. A 17-year-old suspect also arrested in the killing is expected to make his first appearance Monday afternoon.
Dominique Lane appeared in court in the death of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago. Lane, 15, was initially reported to be 14 years old. A judge did not say if he is being charged as an adult. Investigators said he was an accomplice in the killing.
De'Marquise Elkins, 17, appeared in court Monday afternoon, and a preliminary hearing was set for next week. According to Georgia state law, 17-year-olds are considered adults in the criminal justice system.
Investigators said Elkins shot and killed the child as his mother pushed him in his stroller.
Both teens face first-degree murder charges.
"I feel sorry for the mother. I feel sorry for the baby. And my baby is innocent. He could've been dead too," said Brenda Moses, Lane's mother.
Outside court Monday, Moses and Lane's grandmother, Verdell Hunter, said Lane doesn't know Elkins. Hunter said her family doesn't know exactly what happened, but her grandson lives in the area and told her he was simply walking by when he saw Elkins.
"He's a victim," Hunter said. "He said that boy came up to him and said, 'I'm fixing to off you off. You a Mexican.' Because he had a hood on his head with the little thing in there. And my grandson said oh."
"My grandson is a victim," she added. "He could've been dead. The baby is a victim. The mother is a victim. My grandson is a victim. He's a victim."
Hunter said the killing is something her grandson would never be a part of, and his mother said he was merely a witness.
(Excerpt) Read more at news4jax.com ...
Oh that was my own take on it.
Several things seemed weird.
Among those: how in the world is your baby shot to death on Thursday morning and you have the presence of mind to have him cremated and plan a memorial by Friday morning? No wake or funeral either. I understand money is an issue but many charities cover child funerals. I just don’t understand that. The other thing was her account of what happened.... I still haven’t watched the video of her interview though.
The bullet that grazed the ear was not meant for the ear.
and a bullet in the thigh.
If it was self-inflicted it would show pretty easily.
So I’m waiting for the forensics
That was done already. They wouldn't be charging these Trayvon Wannabes if they hadn't done the science.
If the mother engineered this she would not have given the description she did that led to the capture of these thugs and she picked the oldest one out of a lineup and then the younger one rolls on him as well. Not exactly how you engineer a murder.
It is for real.
I don’t think Mr Santiago is being referred to as the “husband,” but as the baby’s father. At least earlier stories indicated that he and Ms. West lived in apartments across the street from each other.
None of the characters in this story appear to be pillars of the community, but only one seems to have shot a sleeping baby in the face.
The husband told her to stay clear of that area and she ignored him.
I’m pretty sure that they lived apart from one another so that she could collect an ADC check and other benefits from the government — being that she was a single mother and the father living outside of the house.
Real tough. Real brave.
Yeah, I read that. But it's hard to put this whole thing together in physical terms. Where was she going? (I know, to the post office!) What were her choices of routes? Why did she take this route despite her husbands apparently vehement warnings? etc. And then where were the perps, and what were they doing? and how did they arrive at this point in space and time?
To me, the whole thing is an enigma. Just take a look at Google Maps and think about it.
These kids are absolutely pathetic.
Then you have the husband “blaming her”,
__________________________________
Hes not her husband
Hes just the Hispanic baby daddy who decided to get his 15 minute4s and make it all about him..
suddenly the baby is all important to him...
He was going on about the baby’s “blue eyes” in a weird way
I think hes creepy
he lived elsewhere...
What was it he said that was “blaming her” ???
Your post and this incident reminds me of the opening scene from the Michael Caine thriller Harry Brown. Its eery that life has followed that scene so closely.
how in the world is your baby shot to death on Thursday morning and you have the presence of mind to have him cremated and plan a memorial by Friday morning? No wake or funeral either. I understand money is an issue
________________________________________
I doubt money would be a problem
the money must be poring in from people who want to help..
But to have planned the cremation etc already ???
yesterday I mentioned her strange attitude and words..
she said she was afraid to have any more babies...
whats that about ???
and she tried to bring up her children right...
the other son was a gang banger who with his homies attacked another kid and the kid knifed him in self defence...
Weird both parents are...
she needs to consider getting married before she has anymore babies...
my sympathy remains with the baby, Antonio
you have the presence of mind
________________________________________
If your baby is shot in the face to death in front of you would you be able to do CPR on him ???
Would you be able to think straight ???
Would you be thinking OK now what do I do ???
or would you be screaming and in shock ???
Id be in shock myself...
I doubt if I would have presence of mind to do much of anything...
and yet one of the first things she seems to have said is that she tried CPR on the baby but it didnt work...
When I read that I thought “How was she able to do that ???”
Unless someone at 911 told her to do that...
These gangs remind me of the movie “The Outlaw Josey Wales”.
In the opening scene sitting by his burned out house and buried wife. And the Confederate riders come up.
“Red Legs?”
“Yep”
“We’re going up North to set things right.”
“I’ll be coming with ya.”
***********************************
I read that in Detroit some neighborhoods have started armed versions of “Neighborhood Watch” as the cops don’t/can’t get there when they call with problems.
Also an increase in the number of bodies found in tucked away spots in the ruins. Probably just a coincidence.
Citizens taking self-defense actions in Detroit. Justifiable Homicide up 79%.
http://www.thedaily.com/page/2012/02/05/020512-news-detroit-vigilantes-1-5/
One would certainly think so, but we, the public, haven't been apprised of the forensics, so we wouldn't know. The only thing we have to go on is that they charged Demarquis Elkins with first degree murder, which certainly does carry weight, but I'm still curious.
Thanks.
Hadn’t heard about the cremation, etc.
That is weird, and more weird that law enforcement would release the body that quickly in a capital murder case.
I wondered myself about her account.
Initially, I wondered if she might have shot the baby and self-inflicted her own wounds, and possibly hired the two Black kids to sprint away and dispose of the gun.
But everybody knows that gun residue goes all over your clothes, even if you wear gloves, so that seems improbable.
I also wondered if she might have hired the Black kids to wound her and kill the baby, and then double crossed them and accused them of murder.
But the Police seem to believe they have an air tight case, so I’m going with the official version unless something dramatic comes out.
These two little *ssholes are a living argument against the “cruel and unusual punishment” clause of the constitution.
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