BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — A 12-year-old girl died Sunday after the adult she was with reportedly sent her and another youth to knock on the woman’s ex-boyfriend’s door. The man’s current girlfriend opened the door and fired at the children.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office has an arrest warrant for Gentrea Rene Haley, 33, of Baton Rouge for one count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, disturbing of the peace, stalking and criminal trespass.
According to police documents, EBRSO deputies responded to a shooting on Forest Grove Avenue around 6:30 p.m. Sunday. They found Cedrica Lee, 12, dead in the driveway of a home in the 14700 block.
Witnesses reportedly told homicide detectives that Haley picked up three young girls from a home on Forest Grove, and the adult in charge thought she was taking them to a local store. A witness said Haley noticed her ex-boyfriend, Patrick Johnson, 36, and his girlfriend, Ester Williams, 26, pass her on the same street. She stayed behind them on the way to the store. The couple went into the store, and Haley stayed in the car while the girls also went inside.
After leaving, she reportedly drove her 2011 Mazda straight to Johnson’s home and parked in a driveway across the street without the homeowner’s approval. She then allegedly told the kids to get out and knock on the door where her ex was. Two got out of the vehicle and walked to the house. As they approached, they saw the doorknob moving and ran back.
While they were running, Williams left the home and fired one bullet. It hit the girl, causing her death.
In an interview, Williams reportedly told deputies that Haley started harassing her when she visited Johnson after learning the two women were both dating him. She said Haley would bang on the door or barge in.
Williams was charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. She will be held in jail without bond. They reportedly agreed to get along when they both agreed to stop seeing him.
Haley reportedly later learned that Williams is pregnant with Johnson’s child and was not pleased with the news.
Williams told detectives that when Haley started following them Sunday, she sent a text calling Willaims a “fool.” After repeated texts, Williams said she blocked her number.
According to Williams, she saw Haley with the girls in her car and thought the trio was following the couple through the store and laughing at them.
Investigators determined that one of the girls took a photo of the couple in the store.
Williams said Haley’s car followed them home. The juveniles were bouncing up and down when the Mazda pulled up next to them. After they got to Johnson’s, Williams said she saw people walking up while Haley blared the horn from across the way.
Williams told investigators that she thought they were trying to harass her, so she went outside and fired her gun. She didn’t know anyone in the car but Haley.
Williams was charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. She will be held in jail without bond.
Johnson was charged with accessory after the fact for first-degree murder and accessory after the fact for attempted first-degree murder. His total bond was set Monday at $350,000.
GoFundMe started for child’s funeral costs
On Tuesday, the fiance of Lee’s mother started a GoFundMe to help cover her funeral costs.
“Cedrica was killed as a result of violence between two individuals whom she had no relationship with. She was offered a ride to the store from a neighbor that her group of friends knew. With this sudden death, our family funds are limited and we are asking for any donation to help put our baby girl to sleep beautifully and peacefully,” according to the page.
Leave a Reply