The Philadelphia toddler used by his father as a human shield during a drug deal gone wrong in 2019 died on Tuesday.
Yaseem Jenkins, 3, was sitting in the backseat of a car when his father, Nafes Monroe, attempted to use counterfeit money to buy drugs. Alleged shooter Francisco Ortiz, 29, opened fire, and Jenkins was struck in the head, neck, and buttocks. He was just 11 months old at the time.
During a press conference Friday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said that there is reason to believe that Yaseem Jenkins passed away as a result of his original injuries. They are awaiting a medical examiner’s report for the official cause of death.
Monroe was charged with recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of a child. He pleaded guilty to both of the charges.
Ortiz was charged with attempted murder, but Krasner indicated that the charges could be upgraded to include murder if Jenkins’ cause of death is determined to result from his injuries.
