Nearly A Year Since Toddler Shot And Killed, Still No Arrests
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A desperate plea for witnesses more than eight months after a three-year-old was killed in a drive-by shooting. Her killer still hasn't been caught. Now, an appeal for the community to help investigators solve the case.
Christie Ileto with the push to find justice for little McKenzie Elliott.
McKenzie Elliott would have been four-years-old this month. Instead, city officials are pushing to raise $3,000 to the $2,000 reward already in place to help catch her killer.
"If we can raise more funding, it might be just what we need to bring witnesses around," said Mary Pat Clarke, Baltimore City Council.
Elliott was playing on her front porch last August when a stray bullet from a drive-by shooting took her short life. Top brass vowed justice--that never came.
"The person responsible, we will bring them to justice before the end of this week," Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said.
Sonja Merchant-Jones knows McKenzie's family and chairs the Better Waverly Community Organization.
"There were other people who were there. And so, someone, somewhere, someway somehow had to see something," said Merchant-Jones. "I do believe someone saw more than what was initially reported."
Police never charged the only person of interest who was let go last October, only saying the investigation shifted, but that they have strong leads.
"We have a person of interest in the case, but we can't do anything with that at the moment because we need to corroborate the information that we have right now," said Deputy Commissioner Kevin Davis, Baltimore City Police Department.
Still, the silence is painful.
"It's probably difficult for them to know that their neighbors know, and nobody's stepped up," said Fr. Joe Muth, McKenzie Elliott Justice Committee.
...Hoping witnesses can help crack the case.
As of late Monday afternoon, the reward has risen to more than $3,000. The amount raised will be announced at the end of the month.
If you would like to contribute, please send checks payable to Metro Crime Stoppers to:
Blessed Sacrament Church, 4103 Old York Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21218. (Be sure to write in memo line: McKenzie Elliott)
Blessed Sacrament will forward all contributions to Metro Crime Stoppers.