“We’re really hurt.” Family of Independence mother, baby killed in police shooting demands answers

On November 12, 2024By Pranco

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) – The aunt and grandmother of a two-month-old baby who died in a police shooting keep wondering how it happened.

They said the child, Destiny, was being held by her mother, Maria, when the shots were fired. Maria also died in the incident.

“We are hurt,” said Felisha Holder, Destiny’s aunt. “Hurt very bad. I can’t hold her in my arms anymore. I want justice for her.”

Holder said she remembers the first time she met her niece.

“I came to visit my mother,” Holder said. “I picked her up and said, ‘Hey, Destiny, Aunt Felisha is here,’ and she just smiled and smiled.”

The family confirmed that Independence police officers responded to a domestic disturbance. Holder said Maria became violent toward her grandmother, Talisa Coombs. She said officers knew there was a baby in the apartment and that her brother told her Maria was holding Destiny when officers fired.

“He didn’t negotiate,” Holder said. “He could have pepper sprayed, he could have tased, but he didn’t do any of that. I don’t care what the circumstances were, there was a baby in that woman’s arms and that woman had mental health issues. She is mentally unstable. They could have had a professional there to negotiate the situation so the baby could be safe. They called the police because they thought they were going to protect baby Destiny, but instead they killed her.”

Baby Destiny was killed in a shooting at the Oval Spring Apartments in Independence, Missouri.(Family)

Holder said Maria had a history of mental illness and was diagnosed with postpartum depression. Coombs said she went to her son and Maria’s apartment almost every day to make sure Destiny was okay.

Coombs said she would not have called police if she had known this would be the outcome.

“They asked me if I wanted to press charges, and I did,” Coombs said. “I didn’t tell them to go there and shoot them. You don’t shoot anyone with a child. They could have done everything differently, but they chose to kill my granddaughter and her mother. If I had known that the baby was in danger with the police officers, I would never have said anything.”

Holder started with one GoFundMe to pay for Destiny’s funeral expenses.

Authorities have not released much information about the officer-involved shooting, but last week two people — a child and a woman reportedly armed with a knife — were declared dead.

In one press conference last FridayChief Adam Dustman stood by his officer’s decision. Three officers, including the officer who fired the weapon, are on administrative leave while the investigation continues.

This Friday, Oval spring apartments will host a memorial vigil for the deceased child. The vigil is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the public is invited to attend. Candles will be placed at the monument and a balloon will be released in front of the building where the situation took place.