Teen shot baby in the face while robbing his mom; counted down from five then pulled the trigger.

*Child Warning* The following case depicts violence against children and may not be suitable for all readers. Please read at your own discretion.

On March 21, 2013, Sherry West walked home from the post office with her 1-year-old son, Antonio Santiago, in Brunswick, Georgia.

It was early in the day, about 9:00 a.m. and West decided to get a little bit of exercise and fresh air by walking to the post office with Antonio since she lived nearby.

Teenagers Rob West

Two teenagers, 17-year-old De’Marquise Elkins and 15-year-old Dominique Lang approached West and Antonio as they walked home.

Elkins pointed a gun at West, demanding money. She did not comply, telling him she did not have any money. Elkins, who had previously shot and robbed someone, told her “give me all your money or I’m going to shoot you and shoot that baby and kill the baby.”

She begged and pleaded for her life to no avail. Elkins pulled the trigger, hitting West in the leg. He fired a second shot from the .22 caliber gun, grazing her head.

She survived her injuries.

After shooting West, Elkins pointed the gun at Antionio and counted down from five before he shot him in the face at point-blank range. He died instantly.

After shooting Antonio, the teens grabbed her purse and fled on foot.

Attempts to Save Antonio’s Life

As bystanders called 911, West attempted CPR on Antonio to no avail. Other bystanders attempted to help West revive Antonio but were also unsuccessful.

Aftermath

An anonymous tip helped police narrow down the suspects and led them to Lang. He was cooperative with the police from the get-go and helped unravel the events that led to the murder.

West testified against the teens at their trials. She told the court she attempted to cover Antonio before Elkins shot him.

Lang pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery. He was sentenced to eight years of probation.

Elkins was convicted by a jury in August 2013. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder. He was sentenced to an additional 125 years in prison on the assault and other charges related to this incident.

He was ineligible for the death penalty because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime.

Family Members Charged

Several of Elkins’ family members helped cover up the crime. They were also sentenced to jail time.

Those people include Elkins’s aunt and his mother, Karimah Elkins, who threw away the gun her son used in the shooting of Sherry West and the murder of Antonio. Karimah was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her part in the crime.

My Thoughts

Such a sad case!

Lang deserved life in prison just as well as his friend. At least a few years in prison if his age is taken into consideration.

How heartless do you gotta be to stand there and watch your friend shoot a mother and kill her child in front of her? And he served NO TIME in jail because he did not pull the trigger?

Elkins is right where he should be. There’s a HUGE difference between a person with redeemable qualities and an evil psychopath and he certainly fits the latter category.

The judicial system puzzles me in their choice of sentencing criminals. Seems the worst of the worst get better sentences than people with less violent or even non-violent crimes.

My heartfelt condolences to Ms. West. Rest easy, sweet Antonio. This incident is not something that a person can just “get over,” but I certainly hope the family has healed as much as possible.

Information:

https://www.opposingviews.com/category/15-year-old-dominique-lang-blames-fatal-toddler-shooting-older-accomplice