'We're Praying He Can Walk Again,' Family Of Toddler Shot In Baltimore Says
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The family of 2-year-old Chase Meade spoke to WJZ about his recovery, days after he was shot at Ramsay and South Monroe Streets in Baltimore.
"He lost a kidney, ruptured his spleen, so they're hoping and praying that he could walk normally again. Right now, it does not look good. He's lost a lot of blood," the boy's grandfather Marvin Walker told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. "It's a sickness what's happening on these streets."
WJZ first spoke to Walker on Sunday when he met with Commissioner Michael Harrison and Mayor Jack Young as they went door to door begging the public to come forward.
His 18-year-old daughter Markiyah was also injured in the shooting — as was a 1-year-old baby who was a friend of the family.
"I pray for whoever did it," Darlene McFadden, the child's great grandmother, said. "They have to face this. I appreciate the officers who took it upon themselves to make their swift decision. They saved lives."
WJZ was there as the three officers who helped the victims came to the family's home Tuesday afternoon.
To get the mother and child to Shock Trauma more quickly, Officers Nicholas Yinger, Carlos Arias and Daisha Simms loaded them into Yinger's squad car and he drove them there.
"I saw that the baby was in pretty grave condition — in and out of consciousness, eyes rolling back in his head, Officer Yinger said. "They got loaded up in my vehicle. Officer Arias starts clearing the way for me blocking intersections so that we can get to Shock Trauma."
From her hospital bed, Markiyah Walker called the officers on FaceTime to thank them.
"I'm not a hero," Officer Arias said. "I always tell people this is what we do every day. Every day. We just don't make the news every day."
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Officer Simms is a Baltimore native who said she simply wants to give back to her community.
She described the scene that night as "chaotic."
"I have no word for it really," Officer Simms told Hellgren. "You just never think people have that much regard for innocent lives."
There is a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Police are looking for late-model silver Honda Accord.
The family remains frustrated at the continuing violence in their community.
"It's this 'I don't care attitude. I'm going to do what I'm going to do no matter what.' That's how these babies are being hurt. They have a right to be on the street with their parents walking," Darlene McFadden said.
