Tyler LaRiviere
A 9-month-old boy is in serious-to-critical condition Wednesday after he was shot during a double homicide in Cicero Tuesday night in which his mother and another relative were killed.
“About 11 a.m., Chicago Fire did a transfer of a pediatric patient from St. Anthony’s Hospital to Comer Children’s Hospital,” said fire spokesman Larry Langford. “The baby is in serious to critical condition, suffering from a gunshot wound.”
It’s a “traumatic injury,” Langford added.
The baby’s mother, Myeshia Newby, 19, was killed at the scene, relatives told the Sun-Times.
Newby’s great-grandfather, Mitchell Benton, said he was in the basement of the home about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 1800 block South of 48th Court when her heard Newby arguing with the child’s father. Benton’s daughter and Newby’s great aunt, Jessica Hughes, 29, was also in the room at the time.
“The next thing I know he just started shooting,” Benton said.
The man shot Newby first then went after Hughes as she tried to run away with the baby, he told the Sun-Times.
Both Hughes and Newby were pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Benton said family later discovered the baby may have suffered a gunshot wound.
“The baby was given to the grandmother who was there,” Cicero spokesman Ray Hanania said. “At the time the baby looked in great shape. There didn’t seem to be any problems.”
“It’s terrible, the whole circumstances of this are terrible,” Hanania added.
About 3 a.m. Wednesday near the scene, police found the body of a man with self-inflicted gunshot wound and are investigating a possible link to the double homicide.
Following the shooting, Benton said he tried to hold the gunman at the scene but he eventually ran off.
“When heard the shots, I ran away around out of the laundry room...and she (Hughes) fell right at my feet and he tried to come around us to get out the door,” Benton said. “I’m not a young man, I’m 75 years old. I did what I could until I ran out of breath.”
Hughes lived in the home where the shooting occured with Benton and multiple generatiosn of the of family.
Both women were both hardworking young mothers, Benton said — Hughes with a 12-year-old daughter and Newby a 9-month-old son.
Benton said he will now look after Hughes’ daughter.
“Her daughter was just coming in to talk to me,” Benton said. “She said, ‘I know my momma’s gone and theres nothing I can do about it.’ I told her, ‘We got her.’”
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
