DETROIT (WWJ) -- Tomika Whitley says she was looking forward to hearing about her son Christian's trip to see Sesame Street with his godmother. Instead, she got the call no mother wants to receive.
Her three-year-old boy was shot and killed Thursday night along the Southfield Freeway while heading to the live show downtown Detroit.
Officials with Michigan State Police and Crime Stoppers of Michigan on Monday announced there is a reward of up to $10,000 for tips that lead to an arrest for the murder of Christian "C.J." Miller. The announcement was made at a press conference with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit Police Chief James Craig on-hand.
Tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
“Every other day, some innocent person is getting killed," his cousin, Tanisha Crawford, said. "He’s just a baby. Innocent. Life barely started.”
A bullet pierced the back windshield of his godmother's vehicle while traveling southbound. She pulled off the freeway and into a gas station, before he was taken to nearby Sinai-Grace Hospital. C.J. died Friday at Children's Hospital.
Police said last week the driver was not involved in a road rage incident, but are still investigating the motive behind the shooting.
The boy's father, Richard Miller, says too many people "just don't care" about gun violence anymore.
“Life, it means nothing to them," Miller said. "But my son meant a lot to me. Wherever it is, whoever’s done this, you know who you are. It’s only a matter of time. Nobody wants to be around you. You’re a murderer.”
The boy's family says C.J. had a zest for life. He loved swimming, taking trips to Chuck-E-Cheese, and especially his father's new Dodge Challenger.
“He had the audacity, one day, to say, ‘dad, go fast!’” his father said. “I’m like, ‘what do you know about going fast?’ He loved that car.”
Tomika Whitley, the boy's mother, says C.J. was so full of life and she will miss his energy.
"He was totally different from my other two kids," she said. "He kept me running. And I liked that about him, because he’s keeping me younger. I’m going to miss that. I’m going to miss him.”
Police say if a tip leads to an arrest by the end of the day Monday, an additional $1,000 will be added, for a total reward of $1,000.
Tipsters will remain 100 percent anonymous and be paid once an arrest is made -- Crime Stoppers does not wait for a conviction to pay rewards.