17-year-old Martaevious Santiago has been charged with aggravated manslaughter after he fatally shot his younger sister in the back of the head — moments after she gave him a birthday hug.
According to poilice, 13-year-old Tedra King hugged her brother in the kitchen of their home on Tuesday and then walked away. As she was leaving the room, Martaevious pointed a loaded semi-automatic handgun at her and pulled the trigger.
The bullet hit her in the back of the head and she died. Martaevious called 911.
via NYDN:
The family believes it was an accident and think Santiago made a terrible mistake.
“I know from the bottom of my heart that he loved his sister and that he would never do anything to his sister intentionally,” King’s father Tedrick told CBS Miami. “As far as him being charged with her death, I don’t agree with it because he’s been punished enough by the fact that he knows what he did.”
Tedrick said he was praying for Santiago and knows the shooting will bother him for the rest of his life.
“Every time his birthday comes around, he’ll never enjoy his birthday again,” he said.
Police said Santiago got the gun from a 14-year-old friend, who was arrested for an outstanding warrant. Santiago is currently being held in a secure detention until his next hearing.
According to CBS Miami, the incident wasn’t the first time Santiago had been involved in a shooting.
Last December, Santiago and his brother were featured in a special report on WLRN-TV after they were shot in a drive-by. Santiago, who admitted at the time he was in a gang, was shot in the leg. His brother was left paralyzed.
Our hearts go out to Tedra’s family.
