Eleven Years Ago Today: The Murder of a Thirteen Month Old Child
"His first word was never heard. His first sentence was never said, he never got to sleep in a toddler bed."
By Rich Kozlovich
Editor's Note: The murder of this child, who was only 13 months old, occurred on March 21, 2013. I had intended to re-run this piece in March but failed to do so as so much is going on. I wanted to do it because now this baby would be eleven years old. I found this whole story heartbreaking. I originally published this on July, 21, 2013, and again on June 12, 2021, and discussed it in Tell Me Their Names!, and republished that article again Here, and Here, and I intend to run it again, and again, so no one will forget this child's name. RK
The subtitle was the quote of the mother of a young 13 month old child who was murdered by two black "children" on March 21, 2013 because she didn't have any money when they tried to rob her. I've run this story a number of times over the years, whole or in part, since 2013. I don't want this story to be forgotten, as I've found it to be heartbreaking. I intended to run it on the anniversary of this poor child's death, and it bothers me I've failed to properly keep track. But nonetheless, I've kept running this story, but not nearly as much as I intended, or as much as I should have. Today, I'm pleased I'm actually running it on the anniversary of this poor child's death. On February 18th of this year he would have been 12 years old. What kind of man would he have ultimately become? We'll never know.
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We know the names of Trayvon Martin and all the other black criminal thugs who were killed, and then deified by a corrupt media, race hustlers, Hollywood trash, and corrupt racist politicians like Barack Obama, but without looking it up, tell me: What was this poor child's name?
You don't know do you?
I was 13 Months Old When I Was Killed By Two Black “Children”! What’s My Name?
By Rich Kozlovich
If you believe all the blather by the main stream media, Democrats, leftists, etc. about race in America, you believe the police are leaving their stations on daily hunting trips to kill poor innocent blacks, for no other reason than they're black. However, if you actually believe in facts, then the story of who the perpetrators of murder, crime and violence in black America is substantially different.
Let's start with right now and move back in time.
I hadn't posted much about the Trayvon Martin/Zimmerman case, and all the surrounding noise being made by the race baiters, leftists and a president who is a disgrace, because it was covered intensely by just about everyone.
Then we had a president who takes a 100 million dollar vacation to Africa, at tax payers expense, with his family to try and take focus off of himself and all the scandals in his administration. He then comes home and declares the Zimmerman verdict an indictment of white America; telling everyone how hard it was to be an un-trusted black man in America in his youth, inciting more racial animus.
Poor baby, he wasn't trusted - then he became president - as a result his actions demonstrate the quality of his character, and that character demonstrates he shouldn’t have been trusted.
The media and the left is always bloated with self righteous moral outrage when a black criminal thug is fighting with the police and gets killed. Worse yet, we see them calling some of these black thugs and criminals “children”. That has gotten under my skin.
Now all of a sudden Trayvon was a “child”! Legally he was a minor, that's true, but he wasn’t a child, except to idiots, race baiters, leftists and celebrities like Richard Dreyfus who declared:
"It’s 2013 and an American jury just acquitted a man who admitted to stalking and killing an unarmed child".
Martin was a strapping six footer, and he was aggressive. Did Zimmerman shoot him before Martin attacked him? No! Also, Zimmerman didn’t stalk him, he followed him. If he was such a “child”, we have to wonder what would possess a “child” to attack an adult? Would you turn around and attack someone who was following you, or would you call the police? He wasn’t concerned about attacking Zimmerman because Trayvon wasn’t a “child”. He was bigger than Zimmerman and so he was comfortable in attacking a smaller man.
Nor was Martin the innocent as he was portrayed by a corrupt disgraceful media, and as far as I can tell, the question as to what he was doing in that neighborhood in the first place has never been answered. Admittedly we have to right to go where we please in America, but Americans have the right to know why you're in their neighborhood, and what you're doing there.
Along with Dreyfus, another new member of the Club For the Galacticly Stupid, John Cusak, says:
"unarmed teenagers have a right to public space – without owning armed citizens any explanation as to their equal right to the sidewalk — "
Admittedly, we have the right to go where we please, but there are neighborhoods in Cleveland where my presence would be questioned if I was just wandering around, and rightly so. The Constitution isn’t a suicide pact. People in a neighborhood have every right to know what strangers are doing around their homes. People go places because they have a purpose. What was Trayvon's purpose in being there? Furthermore, if it was all innocent why didn’t he just call the police if he was concerned?
So how does the rest of the Club For the Galacticly Stupid react? Russell Simmons, music producer said:
"This is not only” about race. This is about laws that allow racist acts to go unpunished. We must change laws that promote injustice”.
These brilliant thoughts must be his belated views about the O.J. trial.
Rapper Talib Kweli intones:
"The way this Zimmerman case divides us shows how far we still have to go as a country."
I wonder if he was reflecting back to the L.A. riots when a young black crowd - who was filmed - pulling a white truck driver out of his truck, threw him to the ground, and then bashed his head with a heavy object. All of whom were found innocent. That must have been what he was thinking of.
Right?
And then we have that great mental giant, Miley Cyrus, who declares:
No justice; no peace.
Wow! Were we to assume that Miley was going to riot? Well Miley didn't have to worry, that was already being taken care of. And the list for all the new members for the Club For the Galacticly Stupid can be found here, along with pictures of rioting and insane behavior promoted by race hustlers.
Let's add John McCain to that list:
On Sunday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) appeared on CNN’s State of the Union, where he called President Obama’s Friday comments on Trayvon Martin and race “very impressive.” He said, “I think we should continue to make progress,” but added that “we still have a long way to go,” even as he declined to “second guess” the verdict in the George Zimmerman case.
John McCain was an everlasting disgrace. That's his legacy!
In East Cleveland, Ohio, Anthony Sowell, a black man wandering around a black community was raping and murdering young black women.
"Sowell was charged with eleven counts of aggravated murder and 74 counts of rape, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity but later changed his plea to simply "not guilty." On July 22, 2011, he was convicted on all but two counts, including the murders of the eleven women whose bodies were found in his house in 2009.
Didn't people in that community have the right to know who he was and what he was doing there?
But here's the story you most likely never heard about, and most definitely did not hear one word from any of these disgraceful people about that thirteen month old white child, a real child, who was deliberately murdered by two black “children”, at least by the left’s current definition of "children".
How old were these black “children” who attempted to rob a poor woman and then murder her 13 month old child?
The oldest of these two murderous "children" was identified as De'Marquise Elkins, 17, and the other “child”was Dominique Lang 14 at the time. Both of these "children" were charged with first degree murder and tried as adults.
And try and get this right. This "child", De'Marquise Elkins, was nothing but a cold and brutal thug. Just ten days before he murdered this 13 month old child, "he attempted to rob a pastor named Wilfredo Calix-Flores on March 11, 2013, at the pastor's church in Brunswick. Elkins and two accomplices pointed a pistol at Calix-Flores and demanded his cell phone and money. Because the pastor did not have anything to give them, they shot him."
That's who the left, race baiters and the Hollywood trash are calling a "child".
Here's the story, and it's a story that needs telling regularly, which I've done for the since 2013, and this was just about as cold as it can get.
The mother reported:
"A boy approached me and told me he wanted my money, and I told him I didn't have any money. "And he said, 'Give me your money or I'm going to kill you and I'm going to shoot your baby and kill your baby,' and I said, 'I don't have any money,' and 'Don't kill my baby.'"
When he tried to take her purse he shot her twice; once, grazing her in the head and then in the leg, “then, all of a sudden, he walked over and he shot my baby in the face."
He shot a 13 month old baby in the face because a poor white woman had no money he could steal.
“This child did nothing to him. He was innocent and helpless”.
Now that’s cold blooded murder, and not one of these race hustlers or celebrity idiots has said a thing!
Everyone knows the names of Trayvon Martin, George Floyd and Michael Brown, all of whom were thugs and criminals. But no one knows the name of that poor 13 month old child.
Do you doubt that? Then tell me without looking it up: What was this poor child’s name?
His name was Antonio Santiago, and "His first word was never heard. His first sentence was never said, he never got to sleep in a toddler bed."
As a follow up: Did De'Marquise Elkins feel regret for what he's done? No! He actually taunted police over their lack of evidence.
‘Y’all ain’t got - - on me. Y’all ain’t got no gun. Y’all ain’t got no fingerprints. All y’all got is a - - acquittal,".
But they had the gun, which family members tried to hide and were sentenced to prison for concealing evidence. Both of these "children" were sentenced to prison. Elkins got life without parole. And here's a later outrage His defenders tried to put the blame on Antonio Santiago's mother demanding they both be released.
The enablers and perpetrators of this racial criminal mentality is a stench that permeates the left and black America. It's a sickness that's destroying the nation.
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Murder of Antonio Santiago |
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Antonio Santiago playing with baby toys |
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Location |
Brunswick, Georgia, U.S. |
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Date |
March 21, 2013; 10 years ago |
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Attack type |
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Deaths |
Antonio Santiago, aged 1 |
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Injured |
Sherry West |
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Motive |
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Convicted |
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Verdict |
Elkins: |
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Charges |
De'Marquise: De'Marquise and Lang:
Karimah and
Sabrina: |
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Sentence |
De'Marquise: |
One-year-old Antonio Santiago was murdered on March 21, 2013, during an attempted robbery in Brunswick, Georgia, United States. As Santiago and his mother, Sherry West, were returning home from the post office, they were confronted by two youths, 15-year-old Dominique Lang and 17-year-old De'Marquise Elkins.[1] Elkins, who had previously shot another victim he tried to rob,[2] pointed a gun at West and demanded money.[3] When she did not comply he fired two .22-caliber bullets, one of which grazed her head, and the other of which went through her leg. He then shot Santiago in the face, killing him.[4] The murder received national as well as international attention due to the victim's young age.[5][6][7][8][9][10]
Lang pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery, and was sentenced to eight years of probation.[11] Elkins was tried and convicted in August 2013[10][12] and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He did not receive the death penalty because he was under 18 at the time of the crime.[13] Several of Elkins's relatives were also convicted of, and pleaded guilty to, charges related to covering up the crime.[14] In 2019, the Georgia Supreme Court ordered the trial court to review whether Elkins had been properly sentenced.[15]
Antonio Angel Santiago was born on February 7, 2012, to Louis Santiago and Sherry West. He turned one year old six weeks before his death and had learned to walk but not how to talk.[1] He was the second son West lost to violence; her other son was stabbed to death at the age of 18 in New Jersey in 2008.[16]
Perpetrator
De'Marquise Elkins
De'Marquise Elkins was born in 1995.[17] According to defense counsel, he experienced neglect from his drug-addicted mother as a child.[8] Prior to murdering Santiago, Elkins attempted to rob a pastor named Wilfredo Calix-Flores on March 11, 2013, at the pastor's church in Brunswick. Elkins and two accomplices pointed a pistol at Calix-Flores and demanded his cell phone and money. Because the pastor did not have anything to give them, they shot him. The bullet penetrated his arm and chest. After shooting Calix-Flores, the perpetrators ran away.[2]
Murder
On March 21, 2013, West decided to get some exercise and stroll Santiago to the post office. The mother and son were confronted by Elkins and Lang at 9:00 am while returning home.[16]
According to Lang, Elkins had previously said that he wanted to find a Mexican to rob.[11] Elkins pointed a .22-caliber handgun at West and demanded money.[3] When West said that she didn't have any money, Elkins threatened her, saying "give me your money or I'm going to kill you and I'm going to shoot your baby and kill your baby."[4] West testified at the trial that she begged him not to kill her baby, pleading "don't shoot my baby!"[18]
Elkins tried to grab West's purse, and fired the gun after she said she had no money. The bullet grazed her head. Elkins then shot West in the leg and walked towards Santiago.[4] Lang testified that Elkins hit West with the gun and counted down from five.[19] West testified that she put her arms over Santiago and tried to stop the attacker from shooting him.[18] She was unsuccessful and Elkins shot her baby between his eyes at point-blank range.[20][21] The robbers then hit West with the revolver, tried to grab her purse, and fled.[18][22]
West tried to revive her son with CPR, and witnesses called 9-1-1.[1] Bystanders and rescue workers also tried to help Santiago, but were unsuccessful; he was pronounced dead at the scene.[23]
Subsequently, Elkins's mother, Karimah Elkins, threw the gun her son had used to commit the murder into a marsh, to cover up evidence.[3]
Criminal proceedings
Investigation and indictments
Brunswick police received an anonymous tip, and tracked down Lang on March 22. Lang was cooperative, admitting to being involved in the crime and directing police to Elkins. On March 23, West identified Elkins from a lineup of 24 mugshots, and on March 25, Elkins's mother Karimah and his aunt, Katrina Elkins, led investigators to the pond containing the weapon used in the murder. On March 27,[24] a grand jury indicted Elkins on 11 counts, including malice murder,[25] aggravated assault, attempted armed robbery, and first-degree cruelty to children.[26] Lang was indicted on seven counts, including felony murder,[25] aggravated assault, attempted armed robbery, and first-degree cruelty to children.[26] Elkins's mother was indicted on making false statements to police and evidence tampering. His aunt was indicted on making false statements to police, and his sister Sabrina was indicted on evidence tampering.[25]
Trial
Both De'Marquise and Karimah Elkins were tried together in August 2013.[27] Due to the extensive publicity the crime received locally, the trial was held in Marietta, Georgia,[5][6] 300 miles away from Brunswick.[8]
Prosecutors told jurors that Elkins pointed a gun at West and demanded money, and then shot Santiago when she did not comply. Defense counsel suggested that Santiago's parents were involved in his death and that they did not want their baby. The defense also told jurors that West tried to take out a life insurance policy shortly after the murder[23][28] and that she may have been mentally incapable of identifying the shooter. Additionally, they pointed to gunshot residue on Santiago's parents' hands, although a Georgia Bureau of Investigation report explained that gunshot residue can end up on shooting victims. The victim's father, Louis Santiago, said that he had touched the wound on West's leg before having his hands swabbed.[23][27] The defense also accused police of focusing their investigation too quickly on the wrong suspects and rushing to get the matter resolved.[23]
Lang testified against Elkins after being questioned in front of the judge without the jury present. The defense filed a motion to suppress his testimony, claiming that he was not credible. Judge Stephen Kelly denied the motion, and allowed Lang to testify before the jury.[29] Lang testified that Elkins hit West with the gun and counted down from five before shooting Santiago.[19]
West also testified, explaining that the robbers demanded money, and that Elkins threatened to shoot Santiago when she didn't comply. According to West's testimony, Elkins then shot her before turning towards Santiago and shooting him. She told jurors that she "tried to stop him", and that she "put my arms over my baby, but he still shot him". In addition to giving testimony, West identified Elkins as the murderer.[9] The defense counsel asked her about the medication she took for mental health disorders, and asked if she could have had a psychotic episode when police questioned her. They also questioned why she would walk her son through a neighborhood that she knew was dangerous.[18]
Closing arguments were held on August 30. The jury began deliberations later that day.[30] After two hours, they found Elkins guilty of 11 counts, including two counts of felony murder, one count of malice murder,[10][12] cruelty to children, and possession of a handgun during a crime. The jury also found Elkins guilty of the attempted robbery and aggravated assault of Reverend Calix-Flores.[31] Karimah Elkins was found guilty of tampering with evidence, but was acquitted of lying to police.[5]
Sentencing
Elkins was not eligible for the death penalty because he was under 18 years of age when he murdered Santiago. The maximum punishment allowed was life in prison without parole. In an attempt to prevent Elkins from getting a life without parole sentence, the defense introduced court documents showing that he had experienced neglect, being left home alone without food by his drug-addicted mother. They also said that life without parole for a juvenile constituted cruel and unusual punishment. The prosecutors disagreed, pointing to the nature of the crime: "He aimed that gun right between that baby's eyes and shot that baby," said District Attorney Jackie Johnson. "I don't know of a more inhumane act or wantonly vile act ... than to aim a gun at a sleeping baby in a stroller and take that baby's life."
West addressed the court in a victim impact statement made to sound like a nursery rhyme or poem. "His first word was never heard. His first sentence was never said, he never got to sleep in a toddler bed." She also asked the judge to punish Elkins for taking "the love of my life".[13] Judge Kelly sentenced Elkins to life without parole for murdering Santiago. In addition to the life without parole sentence, Elkins was sentenced to 125 years in prison for other crimes committed against West and Calix-Flores. Elkins is currently imprisoned at the maximum-security Macon State Prison.[17] Karimah Elkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison.[14]
Plea deals
Lang's attorneys initially tried to have his case moved to juvenile court.[32] They later worked out a plea agreement with prosecutors in which Lang would be sentenced to two years in prison in addition to eight years' probation for one count of attempted armed robbery. He received credit for the two years he had already spent incarcerated. Under the agreement, he can only go to certain designated places, and faces 30 years in prison should he violate probation. He was also ordered to have no contact with West and to pay a $1,500 fine. West later expressed disappointment with the sentence in a statement to the court.[11]
Elkins's sister Sabrina pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, and was sentenced to spend six months in a work camp and five years on probation. Elkins's aunt Katrina also pleaded guilty to making a false statement, and was sentenced to five years in prison.[14]
Appeals
Elkins appealed to the Supreme Court of Georgia. He argued that: the trial court violated his constitutional rights by preventing him from showing that another person committed the crimes; he was denied a fair trial and the presumption of innocence due to the jury learning that he had a juvenile criminal record; and he was denied effective assistance of counsel. The Supreme Court of Georgia found that there was sufficient evidence to support his convictions. They ruled that Elkins's constitutional rights were not violated and that he had not been denied a fair trial or the presumption of innocence.[33] The Court did rule that the trial judge erred by refusing to hold a hearing on his claim that his lawyer did not effectively handle a motion seeking a different sentence. They ordered the trial court to review whether he was properly sentenced to life without parole. Elkins's lawyers want him to be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.[15]
Aftermath
The murder of Santiago received national attention,[5][6][7][8] as well as international attention, with BBC News and Sky News reporting on it.[9][10][18] Within days of his death, a memorial for Santiago was established at the site of the murder, consisting of stuffed animals, a bible, and a framed photo of him.[34][35] Additionally, an anonymous donor had the boy's name engraved on a stone at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.[36]
