Friday, September 16, 2011

Bail Denied for Mom Accused of Shooting Her Children in the Head

yokeia smith

Your Black World reports

Yokeia Smith has been accused of the unthinkable.  The 25-year old mom has been denied bail after being accused of shooting down two of her children.  She will have a public defender and was put into solitary confinement under suicide watch.

Smith is being charged with two counts of first-degree murder.  Associate St. Clair County Judge Julie Katz entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Smith after Smith agreed to be taken back to Illinois from St. Louis, where she was arrested.  The murders took place on August 31.

Police are saying that Smith shot her 5-year old son and 4-year old daughter with a shotgun, shooting both children in the head.  Her 8-year old son was able to get out of the house without being killed. Police have no motive for the killings to date. 

Smith’s relatives say that Yokeia is bi-polar and on anti-depressant medication.  They are standing by her during the ordeal.  She has a long criminal background with a list of traffic offenses and assault charges.  Most of the charges were misdemeanors.

The case has political implications as well.  Child Protective Services of Illinois visited Smith’s home in the past, but left the children with her.  At the time, there were no signs of physical neglect.

6 comments:

phoxybrown said...

Sad and a tragedy

gjacolby83 said...

This is really sad and very disturbing. This is one of the main reasons Healthcare has to improve in this country in my opinion. I don't blain anyone for what has happenend, however people with mental disorders should have access to healthcare. I mean if this young lady was bi-polar, it is hard to place all of the blaim on her in my opinion. I know some people will surely disagree, but I have seen what this disorder is capable of.

Deborrah said...

This is another example of why I say young women do not need to have babies. If you find yourself accidentally pregnant, GET AN ABORTION. This is happening more and more frequently as young women, totally unprepared emotionally or financially for the demands of single motherhood crack under the pressure. No one in the pro-life movement cares about the children after they are here, only that they be born whether the parents they have are sane, stable or mature. The pro lifers don't seem to care about those important details at all.

Anonymous said...

Bi-polar with three children...I totally agree with Deborrah...

Anonymous said...

This is sad and tragic. However, I don't agree with Deb or Anon. When we lost our sense of community, these acts of violence magnified. Young women have always had the majority of the children.

Waiting till you get old has consequences for the child as well. If our parents had waited until they were stable or financial, none of us would be here.

Abortion should never be an option unless threat to the mother or child is present. Black people abort more babies than all races and Black people are the only race targeted to abort their children. Why is this?

In the process of abortion we could be killing a genious with the ability to cure cancer, save the world and/or deliver us from the mental and spiritual bondage of our oppressors.

Anonymous said...

I have never seen such ridiculous comments. Are you saying that people with mental illness should not have kids? SMH.. just wow.