The city continues to mourn the loss of six family members killed on the city’s northeast side last weekend.
Since the mass murder of the Childs family, we’ve learned several new and disturbing details about the horrific crime. 17-year-old Raymond Childs III faces six murder charges for the deaths of his parents, two of his siblings, his brother's girlfriend and her unborn baby.
But until a few years ago, the death of an unborn child didn't necessarily lead to murder charges. That was until an Indiana mother made it her mission to change that after a personal tragedy of her own.
“She was two weeks past her 18th birthday. She was 11 weeks pregnant with our first grandbaby when we got a phone call that Brittany had been shot," said Jennifer Lee. By the time we had got on the plane and made it back home, Brittany and the baby had both lost their life. The baby was the last one alive.”
Brittany McNew was shot and killed on May 4, 2017 in an Indianapolis home.
The suspect never faced a murder charge for the unborn baby, nicknamed “Peanut.” He was only charged with aggravated battery. Frustrated and angry, Lee was determined to change that.
In less than a year, her effort made it state law that anytime someone murders an expectant mother and her unborn baby, they face two counts of murder. That’s unless a woman terminates her own pregnancy or obtains an abortion.
It’s justice that Lee never got for her own daughter and grandbaby.
“If my daughter had to give up her life and her baby’s life to make all these babies accounted for in the end, then that’s what she sacrificed,” Lee said. “I’m very thankful that the other family is going to get justice for their daughter and especially their beautiful grandbaby that deserves to be accounted for.”
To keep Brittany and Peanut’s memory alive, Lee has started a maternity home for young mothers called Hope for Peanut. She also hopes to start a pantry in March with supplies called “Mommy and Peanut’s Pantry.”