Murder of 12-year-old girl has Baltimore community reeling: "Really going to be missed"

BALTIMORE -- The neighborhood where 12-year-old  Breaunna Cormley was shot and killed is still reeling over her death.

Omar Passmore, 28, was arrested over the weekend in Baltimore County and has been charged with the murder of Cormley in her East Baltimore home.   

Passmore was denied bond on Monday. He is facing first-degree murder charges.  

Memorial growing for child

Stuffed animals and balloons have been placed in front of Cormley's home on Kenwood Avenue in the McElderry Park community. One of the toys has a message written on its forehead, "I love you Bre, rest in peace."

Antoinette Robinson, a neighbor, is still processing the violence in her community. She told WJZ she went inside Cormley's home shortly after the shooting.

"I went in and saw the little girl on the floor and in the puddle of blood," Robinson said. "Her grandmother came out screaming and hollering, 'Why did he do this to my baby?'"

Robinson said there is no justification for why Cormley was murdered.

"I still see the image of her, coming to the door, going to school, coming home, going to the store, and stuff like that," Robinson said. "She's really going to be missed by everyone that saw her, knew her, was in her class."

"It's not fair"

Safe Streets, a gun violence reduction program in Baltimore, was outside the home Monday evening calling for residents to take care of each other.

Baltimore City sent resources into the community to help neighbors cope.

"It's sad, it's very sad," said neighbor Carin Santos.

"I really pray for them," neighbor Labreya Lee said.

Neighbors said Cormley was quiet but left a mark on their memories as an older sibling taking care of those who looked up to her.

Yeimi Jemenez Lopez, a neighbor who is nearly the same age. said it's hard to process such a young life lost to gun violence. 

"It's not fair that she needed to lose her life really early," Jemenez Lopez said.

Shooting suspect confessed

Police responded to Cormley's home after 8 p.m. Friday. 

That night, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott vowed the suspect would be caught.

"This young lady had a whole life ahead of her, but a coward took her life," Scott said. "Simply because they are a coward and the scum of the Earth."

Baltimore Police said Passmore confessed to killing Cormley shortly after his arrest.

Charging documents say witnesses identified Passmore and saw him enter the home. Witnesses also told police Cormley was home alone at the time.

"He kept rambling at the door like, I don't know if he had a key or he had something to prod the door," Robinson said. "I did see Breaunna come to the door one time."

There's still no indication of a motive. 

Protective order against suspect

A state prosecutor noticed in court that there is a protective order against Passmore by someone who shares the last name of the child.

Charging documents also note he has a child with the girl's mother.

Passmore will be back in court in August for a preliminary hearing.