Teenagers Kill Baby

[1241Penguin]

Police arrest two teenagers, 17 and 14, in slaying of baby in stroller

Police arrested two teenagers Friday who are suspected in the shooting death of a 13-month-old baby in a stroller and wounding the baby's mother during an attempted robbery.

Seventeen-year-old De'Marquis Elkins is charged as an adult with first-degree murder, along with a 14-year-old who was not identified because he is a juvenile, Police Chief Tobe Green said.

Police announced the arrest Friday afternoon after combing school records and canvassing neighborhoods searching for the pair. The chief said the motive of the "horrendous act" was still under investigation and the weapon had not been found.

The mother, Sherry West, wept Friday while she told The Associated Press that she pleaded with the gunman and a younger accomplice who approached her Thursday morning while she walked near their home in coastal Brunswick.

"He asked me for money and I said I didn't have it," she said. "When you have a baby, you spend all your money on babies. They're expensive. And he kept asking and I just said `I don't have it.' And he said, `Do you want me to kill your baby?' And I said, `No, don't kill my baby!'"

West said the gunman fired four shots, the first into the ground. West didn't see a shell casing ejected and she assumed the gun wasn't real.

Then he fired at her head and the bullet grazed her left ear - she has a small scab and bruising there. He fired again and shot her in the left leg above the knee. "I didn't know I was hurt."

"The boy proceeded to go around to the stroller and he shot my baby in the face," she said. "And then he just shoved me when I started screaming and he ran down London Street with the little boy."

The mother lives in a rented house in the city's Old Town historic district. Beverly Anderson's husband owns the property and she said West has lived there for six or seven years.

"We're just very sorry about what happened and very aghast that something could happen in our little neighborhood," Anderson said. "It's a quiet, safe little neighborhood."

She said West stayed home to care for her baby, who was often spotted in his mother's arms.

"The house has a front porch with a swing and we'd see him out on the swing with his mother," Anderson said. "He was a happy, cheerful baby."

It's not the mother's first loss of a child to violence. Sherry West said her 18-year-old son, Shaun Glassey, was killed in New Jersey in 2008. She still has a newspaper clipping from the time.

Glassey was killed with a steak knife in March 2008 during an attack involving several other teens on a dark street corner in Gloucester County, N.J., according to news reports from the time.

"He and some other boys were going to ambush a kid," Bernie Weisenfeld, a spokesman for the Gloucester County prosecutor's office, told the AP Friday.

Glassey was armed with a knife, but the 17-year-old target of the attack was able to get the knife away from him "and Glassey ended up on the wrong end of the knife," Weisenfeld recalled.

Prosecutors decided the 17-year-old would not be charged because they determined that he acted in self-defense.

It's unbelievable.

 

[mattythedog]

Horrible. I hope they die, slowly.

 

[arora]

Horrible indeed, I hope we figure out a way to better raise our young. Maybe figure out what we do so wrong in general to create such monsters. I don't however hope they die, slowly.

There is a reason I advocate the death penalty and it is not out of spite.

 

[Dean]

It's horrific. They must be mentally sick, in some way.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Absolutely horrific.

Horrible indeed, I hope we figure out a way to better raise our young.

Teenagers are responsible for their own actions, even the best parenting in the world wouldn't stop some of them from commiting awful crimes such as this.

 

[Terronium-12]

It's a damn shame that when they're sent off to prison they won't be in the population. Let the people who have committed crimes that can't see their children handle them.

I can't even begin to imagine what must be going through Sherry's head. Wishing her the best just doesn't seem meaningful enough; nothing does to be perfectly honest.

 

[arora]

Teenagers are responsible for their own actions, even the best parenting in the world wouldn't stop some of them from commiting awful crimes such as this.

There is of course truth in that, probably why you choose to leave out the other part of my post.

I've raised two and I do realize to some extent they are going to do what they will, a rudder can not compensate for a large wave.

We can do better, I'm convinced of it, parenting coupled with our own behaviors and such.(also helping the sick without judging them, condemning them, exposing them as lesser human, etc etc etc etc)

I have a point, usually I ware a hat to conceal it 👍

 

[dice1998]

It's times like this when I wish people still had the abilit to stone murderers to death in the a public location.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

There is of course truth in that, probably why you choose to leave out the other part of my post.

I've raised two and I do realize to some extent they are going to do what they will, a rudder can not compensate for a large wave.

We can do better, I'm convinced of it, parenting coupled with our own behaviors and such.(also helping the sick without judging them, condemning them, exposing them as lesser human, etc etc etc etc)

It's quite simple, treat others as you'd like to be treated yourself - and live by those words. In my experience, often parents will say one thing but do something entirely different - what kind of a mixed message does that give the child? If a child grows up with love and knows respect, you are giving them the best chance you ever could at life.

It's times like this when I wish people still had the abilit to stone murderers to death in the a public location.

While I see where you're coming from, execution doesn't help anything. As the saying goes, an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

 

[arora]

parenting coupled with our own behaviors and such.

You missed that part? lol. It's nice to have a parrot I suppose

It's not simple or our criminal element would be much smaller.

Love your child of course, afford them the best chances you can of course. We need to consider the environment we cast them into 👍

Or just be a snob and say you do fine and see no reason why some have trouble conforming to the harsh crap we provide them.

I'm no bleeding heart lib mind you, but rather then label and point fingers I set things aside and look for answers.

 

[Pako]

I am convinced that in most cases like this, the parents are not involved in their kid's lives. Too busy trying to provide, to preoccupied, or they simply don't care or don't know how to care.....

What a horrible horrible event.

 

[Slash]

🤬 animals.

 

[W3H5]

That has genuinely left me upset and tearful. I don't even have words....

It's times like this when I wish people still had the abilit to stone murderers to death in the a public location.

Death is too good for people like that.

I...I honestly...don't have words....

As the saying goes, an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

Then let it.

 

[Slash]

Then let it.

+1

Exactly how I feel.

 

[arora]

yes, if you want to live in a society where killing is accepted and even championed.

 

[nealcropper]

What the hell is going on in the world today? I honestly didn't think that the world could get any worse, I was wrong.

One has to ask, what caused these reprobates to commit a theft in the first place, then what happened to make them shoot a baby? They must have been really deprived. Not that there is ANY excuse for any part of this horrible crime.

One has to look at society as a whole, the way the country's are run is a disgrace. I read an article in the Metro today about a lad of 18 who had Aspergers syndrome, and at his 18th birthday party his so called "friends" doused him in tanning oil and then set him on fire. The killer got 3.5 years. How does that sentence match the crime?!

And so we come to the main problem. There is no real deterrent. If someone is willing to give up 5 years of their life then they can basically do as they please. Sentences should be extended by at least 3 times.

Also Americas gun laws are an absolute joke, I don't care if its in the first amendment, that piece of scrap paper is as outdated as most of the laws in the UK. The 2 country's need to sort their **** out, give proper punishments, don't just end someone's life, that's the easiest punishment ever. Look at the inmates on death row, they must pray for death, don't give it to them, let them suffer for their actions.

 

[Slash]

yes, if you want to live in a society where killing is accepted and even championed.

I'd rather have people get what they deserve.

 

[W3H5]

yes, if you want to live in a society where killing is accepted and even championed.

Like, for the most part of human history, except the last few hundred years?

C'mon, man. Sense goes out of the window in a situation like this. Rationale is clearly not part of the equation here.

 

[nealcropper]

I'd rather have people get what they deserve.

They don't deserve death. It's too easy, make them think of the people they have hurt, and make them think of them everyday.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

You missed that part? lol. It's nice to have a parrot I suppose

Yes, because I repeated exactly what you said

Then let it.

+1

Exactly how I feel.

So you want murderers to be executed, even though it makes things worse? At least as the murder rate increases you can reassure yourself that the killers will never kill again.

Makes sense.

 

[arora]

Indeed, lets just keep the status quo.

I'm quite sure you guys miss my point all together but that is ok, I'll not strive for mediocrity.

Mean time, if you bothered to read all my posts in this thread you would see that I'm in favor of the death penalty, imagine that.

 

[nealcropper]

Yes, because I repeated exactly what you said

So you want murderers to be executed, even though it makes things worse? At least as the murder rate increases you can reassure yourself that the killers will never kill again.

Makes sense.

Exactly, if killing is wrong, it's wrong. It's not alright to kill sometimes, there is no grey area here.

 

[W3H5]

So you want murderers to be executed, even though it makes things worse? At least as the murder rate increases you can reassure yourself that the killers will never kill again.

Makes sense.

Murder is a law term. What do you think soldiers do? They are glorified for their actions so it clearly doesn't work that way. You're right, the kill rate goes up, but will that person murder again? Nope.

Doesn't make things worse, unless you're the defence lawyer for these scum.

I'd kill those bastards myself with my bare hands given the opportunity.

Execution for 1st degree murder? Works in China.

...ooooooo....politics.

I'mma let you finish, but I'm leaving this thread right now before I say something I shouldn't.

 

[nealcropper]

Murder is a law term. What do you think soldiers do? They are glorified for their actions so it clearly doesn't work that way. You're right, the kill rate goes up, but will that person murder again? Nope.

Doesn't make things worse, unless you're the defence lawyer for these scum.



Execution for 1st degree murder? Works in China.

...ooooooo....politics.

I'mma let you finish, but I'm leaving this thread right now before I say something I shouldn't.

I think you already did.

I'd kill those bastards myself with my bare hands given the opportunity.

You pretty much just described yourself the same as anyone else who commits murder. Well done.

 

[Slash]

They don't deserve death. It's too easy, make them think of the people they have hurt, and make them think of them everyday.

Yes, because I repeated exactly what you said




So you want murderers to be executed, even though it makes things worse? At least as the murder rate increases you can reassure yourself that the killers will never kill again.

Makes sense.

Murder is a law term. What do you think soldiers do? They are glorified for their actions so it clearly doesn't work that way. You're right, the kill rate goes up, but will that person murder again? Nope.

Doesn't make things worse, unless you're the defence lawyer for these scum.

I'd kill those bastards myself with my bare hands given the opportunity.

Execution for 1st degree murder? Works in China.

...ooooooo....politics.

I'mma let you finish, but I'm leaving this thread right now before I say something I shouldn't.

Shem said it the best.

 

[Pako]

If that was my baby, rest assured I would personally rip the arms off the murderer. Pretty hard to shoot someone again without arms. [edited] The sad part is I would probably get more time in prison than the shooter.... [/edited]

The problem isn't the tool, but the person behind the tool and their complete disregard for human life or the well being of anyone else. Their selfish and entitled attitude is distorted enough that they probably felt justified in "getting theirs" at what ever cost.

 

[arora]

It's almost as if you guys like the murder rate so you can cheer on the executioners LOL

 

[W3H5]

Well done.

Thanks. I needed that 'well done'. 👍

I ignored the rest.

OK, really, last post in this thread or I'll get in trouble.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Exactly, if killing is wrong, it's wrong. It's not alright to kill sometimes, there is no grey area here.

I agree, but even when people argue the case of an eye for an eye, it only makes the situation as a whole worse.

You execute one but endanger many other innocent lives with the message that you are putting out. Punishing people only pushes them further from being part of society, when somebody no longer has anything to lose, losing their freedom or their life is a small cost.

Give them hope and something they couldn't stand to lose - like a life where they feel valued and worth something - and murdering someone won't even cross their mind.

Executing criminals is so old-fashioned that it's a joke to suggest it's a viable punishment, like locking mentally handicapped people away in asylums.

EDIT - Shem, I didn't mean that the death rate in your country goes up, but the murder rate (of innocent civillians) does. Soldiers are a different story and we could argue that on a case-by-case basis all day long, all depending on which wars/conflicts you think were just and which were unjust.

 

[nealcropper]

Thanks. I needed that 'well done'. 👍

I ignored the rest.

OK, really, last post in this thread or I'll get in trouble.

Are you serious? You ignored what else I said because you know it's right. What gives someone the right to execute someone else? The fact that the person has killed? If that's the case then where does it end? Someone has to be accountable for killing someone on death row, so what gives them the right to do exactly what the same? It's non sensical.