An 11-month-old boy was shot twice in a murder-suicide that claimed both his parents, but miraculously survived — and was moving around on his own when authorities discovered the violent scene in his home.
WPVI reports that a young couple was found dead of an apparent murder-suicide in the gunman’s Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, home over the weekend. Raquill Holland, 23, and 18-year-old She’Kierrah Adams were found dead on gunshot wounds in their home, while their 11-month-old son Raquill Jr. was shot twice.
Sharon Hill Police Chief Richard Herron told Philly.com that authorities believed Holland shot himself after shooting Adams and the baby, and that he intended to kill his son along with Adams — who appears to have been protecting the boy in her final moments of life.
“It was a horrific scene,” Herron told the news outlet. “The baby was completely covered in blood,” he said, adding that he believed Adams was trying to “shield the baby.”
She’Kierrah Adams was murdered by her boyfriend Raquill Holland who then turned the gun on himself. Their 11-month-old son was shot twice, but survived. He’s now an orphan. @6abc pic.twitter.com/HZm0UR2udI
— Maggie Kent (@MaggieKent6abc) April 23, 2019
Despite his injuries and what the baby had encountered, he was remarkably calm when officers arrived to the home, alerted by a family member who went to check on them.
“That day when the officers got there he was actually on the ground crawling around on the floor, not crying,” Herron said, according to WPVI.
According to Philly.com, the infant was shot in the leg and the abdomen and as of Tuesday was in stable condition at a Philadelphia hospital. He is now in the care of the Delaware County Office of Children and Youth Services, and the agency will determine where he will live.
Adams reportedly did not live at the residence where she was found dead, but was present there in 2018 when police were called to a report of a disturbance. Adams reportedly declined to file charges.
If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic violence, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at https://www.thehotline.org or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.