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Man Allegedly Used Infant Son As 'Human Shield' In Drug Deal Gone Wrong
The baby, Yazeem Jenkins, was shot in the head and chest after authorities say his father, Nafes Monroe, brought him to a drug buy in which he attempted to use counterfeit money.
A Philadelphia father is accused of using his own 11-month old son as a "human shield" to avoid bullets after a drug deal went south when he tried to use counterfeit money.
Nafes Monroe has been charged with reckless endangering of another person and endangering the welfare of a child in last month's shooting of Yazeem Jenkins, who remains in critical condition. It's unknown if Monroe has retained an attorney.
The alleged gunman in the shooting, Francisco Ortiz, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, according to The Associated Press. Police have said Monroe, 25, was Ortiz's intended target.
Anthony Voci, head of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Homicide Unit, said during a Tuesday press conference that Monroe was "using counterfeit money to purchase drugs, knowing that counterfeit money is something that is very upsetting to drug dealers, and when they find out they are being burned with counterfeit money, they act violently,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Our investigation has led us to believe that he intentionally had his child with him when he was making such types of purchases, with the idea or belief that if someone saw that he had a child in the car, that they would not fire upon him,” Voci continued. “A 'human shield’ is probably the term that I would use.”
Voci also alleged that Monroe didn't immediately take Yazeem to the hospital after he was shot and that this wasn't the first time that Monroe took his son to a drug buy where he planned to use fake money.
Although Monroe faces multiple charges, he has not been charged with use of counterfeit money. Monroe was also wanted on a probation violation warrant at the time of the shooting, according to Voci.
"He also was the individual that was not only in the car with his child in harm's way, but drove the child to a house rather than taking him to a hospital immediately, then dropped his child off at the hospital and never looked back," said Voci, according to the Inquirer.
A family spokesperson previously released a statement on behalf of Yazeem's mother to local television station WPVI-TV, which read, "My son is fighting for his life and it is not fair. He's innocent, so precious, and his smile will brighten up anyone's day. He's such a bubbly kid. So loving and lovable. How could anyone be so heartless!"
Yazeem remains hospitalized and police have said he will likely be quadriplegic if he survives, according to CBS Philly.
