A toddler who was shot in 2019 during a drug deal that his father brought him to in order to allegedly use him as a "human shield" died on Tuesday, according to his family.
Yaseem Jenkins was 11 months old when he was shot, and authorities believe that it could be the reason for his death years later. Jenkins was 3-years-old, and his death was confirmed by his family on a GoFundMe page.
Philadelphia district attorney Larry Krasner held a press conference also confirming the death of Jenkins.
"We are awaiting a medical examiner's report on the cause of death, but we have reason to believe the cause of death is his original injury from that shooting," Krasner said.
On Oct. 19, 2019, Jenkins was in the car with his father, Nafes Monroe, and Monroe's then-girlfriend when the shooting happened.
Investigators have shared they believe Monroe had his son in the car because he was using counterfeit money during the drug deal and hoped his son's presence would stop any violence from breaking out.
However, that wasn't the case as Francisco Ortiz fired shots that hit Jenkins in the head, torso, and rear of his body. Ortiz was charged with attempted murder following the shooting.
The district attorney's office said after the shooting in 2019 that Monroe knew bringing the counterfeit bills would upset the drug dealer he was conducting business with.
The district attorney's office described Monroe as bringing his infant son to be a "human shield" so he could protect himself.
"It's our belief and 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," a representative for the Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney's Homicide Unit said during a press conference in 2019.
Monroe was later charged with recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of a child, to which he pled guilty on both counts, WKRC reported.
If the medical examiner determines Jenkins died from the original injuries he suffered, additional charges could be filed, Krasner said.
"I want to express my deepest condolences for the loss of Yaseem to his family. This is a tough moment," Krasner said.
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