Mother Says 8-Year-Old Girl Struck In Drive-By Shooting Has Died
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Surrounded by family, the mother of an 8-year-old girl shot in a drive-by announced late Tuesday evening the little girl has died.
"You didn't just hurt me. You hurt a whole family. You hurt a whole bunch of people who love her," said Rosalind Brown, Jada Page's mother.
Brown was overcome by grief when she tried asking for the public's help in finding those responsible. "I just can't see how you can sleep at night knowing you killed my baby," said Brown. "There's no way you could sleep at night. Please come forward or somebody tell us something."
Late Sunday, Jada Page was playing on the front porch of her home at NW 25th Avenue & 102nd Street when bullets erupted from a car. Witnesses told police there were at least two men in the car which they described as being either a four-door black Ford Fusion or Ford Focus.
The intended target was Jada's father, 32-year-old James Page. He was standing by his Jeep when he was struck. He's listed in stable condition at the hospital.
Jada was left brain-dead, according to her mom. Tuesday afternoon, Brown said things took a turn for the worst. "She's gone. They were going to pull the plug tomorrow but her heart failed and that was the only thing that was keeping her alive so I guess she wanted to go on her own. God had his own plan. I was praying for a miracle but I guess he had his own plan."
"This was an innocent kid who was outside playing. Regardless of whatever else was going on, it's painful, it's hurtful. I see my own child. Something has to be done about the gun violence involving children," said Pastor Eric Readon of the New Beginning Missionary Baptist Church in Miami Gardens.
The church has donated a thousand dollars to a reward amount of up to $23,000 for information that will lead to an arrest.
Readon told CBS4'S Peter D'Oench, "I wish I had more to give. This has got to stop. Nowadays there is a code of silence. We have got to break the code of silence. As they say, it may be their day today but it could be your day tomorrow. I am very upset and very frustrated to see children in a situation where it is not safe to go outside."
"I just want to say this is the time to put up or shut up," he said. "Our community is in trouble. Our children are in trouble. This community needs to come together."
Jada's mother received a visit Tuesday at Jackson Memorial Hospital from Regina Talabert, who lost her 17-year-old daughter Noricia in a similar drive-by-shooting on Oct. 17, 2015.
"I came out to be with this family and support them and the mother because all I could think about was when I lost my daughter Noricia Talabert the same way," she said. "She was shot in the head with an AK 47. She had a bright future and she wanted to be a nurse practitioner. After sitting here with this family, I am hurt. I could not sleep last night. The girl's mother is torn and she is hurt."
"I feel like I have been robbed," she said. "When you come at a family with a gun, you are destroying the whole family. I am here with Noricia's graduation ring. This was her graduation ring."
Regina Talabert said an arrest was made in the shooting of her daughter. She said the suspect was tracked down and arrested in New York.
"As a community, we must come together and we are coming together to address the gun violence," said Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez. "If you see something, say something. Call the police."
On Monday, police knocked on doors, stopped cars and passed out flyers in hopes of developing a lead on the killers.
Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.