Friday, October 15, 2010

Dad who fled after "allegedly" shooting infant son, girlfriend arrested (Millville, New Jersey)

Police say that dad MARKESE CHILDERS shot his 6-week-old son and his girlfriend, and then fled the scene. But that it was an "accident" based on interviews with the suspect? What, the baby was threatening him when the gun went off? Sounds like bullsh** to me. Especially when by the merest of coincidences, Daddy has all kinds of outstanding warrants. The fact that the mom made up a fake cover story sounds a lot like a DV victim trying to placate an abuser and prevent more problems--natural enough, when these guys are never kept in jail more than a day or two.

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20101015/UPDATES01/101015071/NJ-father-accused-of-accidentally-shooting-infant-son-arrested

Millville, NJ father who fled after alleged shooting of infant son, girlfriend arrested
BY ALEX HARCHAREK • NJ PRESS MEDIA • October 15, 2010

VINELAND, NJ--Police on Thursday arrested the Millville man they say accidentally shot his 6-week-old son and girlfriend and then fled.

Markese Childers, 27, wanted in connection with a shooting Monday afternoon on the 300 block of South 3rd Street in Millville, was arrested at a home on Pear Street in Vineland shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Investigators also found a loaded revolver during his arrest, believed to be the weapon used in the shooting, Detective Lt. Les Watson said.

Police have said Childers allegedly shot his girlfriend, Belina Brown, and their 6-week-old son by accident Monday and then immediately fled the area. Police were initially tipped off to the shooting when Brown and the child were sent to South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Vineland for gunshot wounds.

Police confirmed the shooting was accidental and occurred inside the home, based on interviews with Childers following his arrest Thursday, Millville police Detective Bruce Cornish said.

A loaded .38-caliber revolver was recovered from the apartment and taken for testing, police said. Investigators believe it was the weapon used in the shooting.

Over the course of the investigation, authorities learned Childers was staying at a home in Vineland. Millville officers and state police arrested Childers there, with the help of U.S. Marshals and the NY/NJ Joint Task Force.

Childers was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of endangering an injured victim, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was placed in Cumberland County Jail on $750,000 cash bail.

Childers had numerous outstanding warrants at the time of his arrest, Cornish said, including two traffic warrants out of Millville for $20,000 and $2,500, two warrants out of Bridgeton, one warrant out of Buena and one warrant out of Fairfield Municipal Court for a charge of driving while intoxicated.

Brown was released from the hospital after undergoing surgery for a bullet wound in her stomach. The infant was released to the custody of Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) on Tuesday, police said.

Brown could be charged with criminal obstruction for filing a false police report -- initially claiming the shooting occurred during a home invasion burglary, police said. She had not been charged as of Thursday, Cornish said.

Cornish and Millville police Detective Jeremy Miller are leading the investigation, along with Det. Brian McManus of the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office.