3-Year-Old Dies After Father Allegedly Used Him As A 'Human Shield'
A 3-year-old has died after his father was accused of using him as a human shield during a shooting in 2019, Today reports. Larry Krasner, Philadelphia’s district attorney, announced at a news conference on Thursday that authorities believe the toddler, who passed away last week, died from injuries sustained from the shooting almost three years ago.
Toddler Yaseem Jenkins who was used as a 'human shield' after his father allegedly tried to buy drugs in Philly with counterfeit cash in 2019 has passed away. 🥺 💔 pic.twitter.com/BKREgIOrrZ
— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) April 23, 2022
Yaseem Jenkins was 11 months old when his father, Nafes Monroe, allegedly brought his son with him to a drug deal with Francisco Ortiz on Oct. 19, 2019. Anthony Voci Jr., police chief of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Homicide Unit, said that Monroe was using counterfeit money in the drug deal.
“It’s our belief and our investigation has led us to believe that he intentionally had his child with him when he was making such types of purchases with the idea or belief that if someone saw that he had a child in the car, that they would not fire upon him,” Voci said in 2019, according to Today.
He went on to say that Monroe used his son as “a human shield” during the incident.
According to the New York Post, Ortiz opened fired on Monroe’s car after the deal went left. Bullets struck Yaseem’s head, neck and rear. Voci said during the news conference that rather than taking Yaseem to the hospital, the then 11-month-old was driven to a house.
A month after the shooting, Monroe was arrested. He was charged with reckless endangerment of another person and endangering the welfare of a child, Today reports. Court documents revealed that Monroe pleaded guilty to both charges.
Krasner said that if it’s determined Yaseem died from injuries related to the shooting, Monroe may face additional charges.
“We are awaiting a medical examiner’s report on the cause of death but we have reason to believe the cause of death is his original injury from that shooting,” he said, according to the New York Post.
Krasner also said that the district attorney’s office is “prepared for two separate trials involving the man we allege is responsible for shooting him,” according to Today. He asserted that the district attorney’s office “will be prepared to additionally charge Mr. Ortiz with murder,” if the autopsy revealed he died as a result of the shooting.
Yaseem’s family is morning the death of the toddler, saying in a GoFundMe campaign that he was a “strong happy kid.”
