Date of Birth: April 22, 2005
Date of Death: August 10, 2017
Death by strangulation

Yhoana was a popular seventh-grade student at Nashville’s Liberty Collegiate Academy. Friends and family described her as kind, polite, caring, fun, intelligent and beautiful.

Sheila Gentry, who lived nearby, told The Tennessean that Yhoana was “happy all the time… always polite.” On Thursday, August 10, 2017, Yhoana did not go to school. She was home nursing an injury she’d gotten while skating. Later that day, Yhoana texted her mother, saying someone was knocking on the door. Yhoana’s mother returned from work to find her daughter.

Date of Birth: July 29, 2001
Date of Death: October 8, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

Debrianah was having good old-fashioned autumn fun, laughing and dancing on her porch as her mother, Shatika Begley, prepared to bring her little brother’s birthday celebration to a close. The 16-year-old Stratford STEM Magnet School student was a sweet, energetic girl, family and friends said. Friend Lando Givans told The Tennessean that Debrianah was a “cool, funny girl who was always dancing.” As Debrianah’s mom cleared away the party favors, gunfire erupted. Caught in the crossfire, Debrianah was taken to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where she died. “My daughter was my dancing Princess. Your family loves you,” Shatika said.

Dates of Birth:
     Samma’Rie – February 21, 2009
     Sa’Maii – September 20, 2012
Date of Death: January 12, 2018
Death by gunshot wounds

Sisters Samma’Rie, 8, and Sa’Maii, 5, had recently moved to Nashville and enrolled in St. Pius Classical Academy. It was a small school, and the girls adjusted nicely. St. Pius Principal Lori Patton said they were “sweet, smart and spiritual.” Aunt Marinta Battle described Samma’Rie and Sa’Maii as well-mannered girls who loved traveling, singing, dancing and making everyone laugh. She said they were super smart and loved doing science experiments; were energetic, yet respectful and lady-like; well-behaved, yet funny.
On January 12, 2018, they were shot and killed. “It brings tears to my eyes, just thinking about them laughing and their antics. Our little Bread and Butta … you couldn’t have one without the other,” Battle said.

Date of Birth: August 7, 2007
Date of Death: June 24, 2017
Death by arson

While lots of kids her age enjoy playing games on their electronic tablets, Crystal was just the opposite. The W.A. Wright Elementary School student loved the outdoors. “She played softball, she was in the Girl Scouts, and in the summertime she loved to swim,” her brother James Griggs said. Crystal was very social and involved herself in a variety of activities, said Griggs. She even found time just to hang out with the older brothers she dearly loved.

On Friday, June 23, 2017, a fire broke out in Crystal’s home.

Date of Birth: January 14, 2014
Date of Death: August 7, 2017
Death by arson

Three-year-old Elizabeth was a “daddy’s girl.” She was very attached to her father. Where he went, she wanted to go. His friends were her friends. When she saw someone with her dad, she would remember them the next time and always say hello, welcoming his friends as a part of her family. Her father said he will forever remember Elizabeth’s smile and her hugs. “I wish I could get one more hug,” said Endalamaw Tesfaye.

On August 7, 2018, Elizabeth died when fire swept through her home.

Date of Birth: June 6, 2003
Date of Death: June 24, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

In summer 2017, Clayton had just finished middle-school course requirements at DuPont Middle, where he played soccer and football. He was enjoying summer while anticipating new adventures in high school. His family said he had found his niche as a fast friend and mentor to younger children. He was a leader on the football field, said friend Elaria Fahem. “He could have had so many things ahead of him, like his football career,” she said.

On June 24, 2017, Clayton and three others were sitting in a parked car, and one of the friends was handling a pistol. The gun discharged, killing Clayton.

Date of Birth: February 18, 2001
Date of Death: January 15, 2018
Death by gunshot wound

Joseluis’s mother, Maricela Morales, described her son as her helper and protector. She said he was always loving and kind, and he enjoyed spending time together, especially when they went out to eat. Chinese food was his favorite, she said. The Glencliff High School 10th-grader played soccer on the school team. Glencliff officials described him as a “bright young man with a promising future.”

In the early morning hours of January 15, 2018, Joseluis was in a vehicle with others when he suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

Date of Birth: July 28, 2000
Date of Death: December 5, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

Friends described 17-year-old Ja’Donte as smart and amazing, one who never got into trouble. The Hillsboro High School student was doing all the right things. He loved and cared for his family, got a job to help pay for Christmas gifts, and had already decided on his life’s profession. Ja’Donte wanted to be a teacher.

That dream was cut short on December 5, 2017, when Ja’Donte was shot and killed in a scuffle with home invaders. His grandmother Shirley Whitlow said: “He died trying to protect his mother.”

Date of Birth: August 27, 2016
Date of Death: July 28, 2017
Death by abuse and neglect

Eleven-month-old Roger Kenneth Harris Jr. had just graduated from scooting to crawling. He was playful and very active with his little sisters. Family and friends knew not to put keys down around Roger, as he would grab them. He loved to play with keys, his dad Roger Harris Sr. said. “And, he loved to eat cheese puffs,” Roger Sr. said. He said his son will “always be missed and never forgotten. That he will not be able to be here with me right now; that I will never be able to see him grow up; that hurts.”

On July 28, 2017, Roger was taken to a local hospital not breathing and unresponsive. Officials said the child died from abuse and neglect.

Date of Birth: January 27, 2003
Date of Death: June 9, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

Tirell was an all-around talented guy. His mom said he could draw almost anything he wanted, and as a toddler, he developed a love for music and dance. “He rapped. His first song was called ‘Fireman’. He did it when he was 4 or 5. He would sing and dance off of that song,” recalled mom Jessica Barefield. He liked basketball, and he also loved to dress well and look good. Only 14 at the time of his death, Tirell was very protective of his mother. “He was over-protective. If I went somewhere, he would not let anyone speak to me.” Their last conversation was by phone two or three days before his death. She told him to be careful, and each told the other “I love you.”

Tirell died on Friday, June 9, 2017, from a gunshot wound.

Date of Birth: April 12, 2016
Date of Death: October 22, 2016
Death by abuse

At Roydale’s stage of development, he could hold objects in his hands, was learning to sit up, and becoming more expressive by the day. His brilliant smile alone would light up a room. At only six months, his pictures show a playful and inquisitive personality. On October 22, 2016, Roydale arrived unresponsive at General Hospital. He was a victim of neglect.

Date of Birth: February 19, 2002
Date of Death: January 23, 2018
Death by gunshot wound

Thomas was a 10th-grader at Maplewood High School whose teachers would tell his mom what a nice kid he was. His favorite color was red, and he loved action movies, said his mom, Cynthia Howard. He was athletic, playing both basketball and football at school and around the neighborhood. His mother described him as delightful, respectful, kind- hearted and eager to lend a helping hand to elders. “He always wanted people to have peace, and get along, and not to argue,” his mom said.

On Tuesday, January 23, 2018, Thomas was shot not too far from his home. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Date of Birth: April 25, 2012
Date of Death: December 12, 2016
Death by physical abuse

Four-year-old Jacobi’s mom, LaShawna Hunter, called him a truly wonderful gift from God. “I never would have known such a small person could teach me so many of life’s valuable lessons,” she said. “Because of him I know what it feels like to be loved unconditionally.

“From his smile to his smell, I will never forget my baby. There is no love like a son’s love. Thank you, Jesus!” In December 2016, Jacobi became ill. He was taken to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where doctors determined he was the victim of physical abuse.

Date of Birth: July 25, 1999
Date of Death: March 27, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

Christian was a young man who loved his family unconditionally, especially his little sister. According to mom Paschale Lewis, he would escort his sister to and from the bus stop to make sure she was safe. A high-school student who worked part-time, Christian enjoyed playing video games. His favorite color was red, and he loved eating seafood. “You will never be forgotten,” his mother vows.

On March 27, 2017, two separate groups – Christian among them – met in a Nashville apartment-complex parking lot. Shots rang out, and Christian was killed.

Date of Birth: September 7, 2001
Date of Death: January 14, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

This Antioch High School student loved soccer and had a favorite team – Real Madrid. Mom Ofelia Martinez described Jonathan as a happy kid, one who was very loving and kind. “He was smart, and had that innate ability to pay special attention to detail,” she said. Jonathan’s family said he was very social, with lots of friends.

On January 14, 2017, Jonathan – along with his friend Eduardo Trejo – died from a gunshot wound.

Date of Birth: January 16, 2013
Date of Death: April 1, 2015
Death by gunshot wound

Fondly called Baby K, Kendall was remembered by his family as a special child who made everyone around him smile. Too young for kindergarten, he nonetheless loved to read books and was always eager to learn new words and sounds, according to his great- grandmother. He could operate an iPad better than some adults. While he never learned to ride his bike, he drove his toy Audi car like a professional driver. Most of all, he loved his brother Ke’Andre and his Uncle Murphy. He looked for them when he woke up and before he went to bed. Every night he prayed, “Thank you, Jesus, for my family,” said his great- grandmother. On March 31, 2015, Kendall was inside an apartment in Madison when a weapon discharged, the bullet striking him in the head. He died the following day.

Date of Birth: August 4, 2002
Date of Death: February 8, 2018
Death by gunshot wound

Family, teachers, friends and fellow church members universally hailed Jeremiah as a great guy. The 15-year-old Whites Creek High School student was good at sports, having played both football and basketball at Joelton Middle School. In the winter of 2018, he was just about to step into his mid-teenage years. Perhaps his aunt, Denise Hereford, said it best in an interview with The Tennessean: “He was a beautiful young man. He only had a chance to be a child — he didn’t get to leave a footprint.”

On February 8, 2018, Jeremiah was visiting the Berkshire Apartments in East Nashville. A gun went off, the bullet striking Jeremiah in the chest.

Date of Birth: August 6, 2003
Date of Death: February 15, 2016
Death by neglect

Mae, as she was fondly called by family members, lived her life to the fullest. Family described a happy little girl who loved butterflies, music, dancing and helping people. She was as eager to play in the dirt with her cousins as she was to dress up like a princess. She was creative and adventurous, never afraid to try new things. Her aunt Jen Emerick said: “Mae’s love for animals really stood out, and she always tried to care for each and every one she came in contact with. Whether big or small, she loved them all.” Mae was traveling with her mother when she fell ill in Nashville. She was taken to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where officials determined she was a victim of abuse and neglect.

Date of Birth: June 17, 2000
Date of Death: January 24, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

Eduardo was an Antioch High School student. “He was a special, unique child who was always dreaming of something bigger,” mom Diana Trejo Mendoza said. She said he loved his family and friends, that he was one who just loved life. His favorite pastime was watching movies with the family and rooting for FC Barcelona. His favorite song was “A Thousand Years” from the “Twilight” film series.

On January 14, 2017, Eduardo died, along with his friend Jonathan Martinez, of a gunshot wound.

Date of Birth: October 6, 1999
Date of Death: September 14, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

Seventeen-year-old Kennda was one of those kids everybody liked, his father Kennda Watkins Sr. said. Watkins described his son as a phenomenal student, one who was great on the football field and raised up in the church. The elder Watkins, who last talked to his son two days before Kennda Jr. died, said his son was a sensitive young man who didn’t ask for much. “He never really asked for anything because his friends did not have fathers they could turn to,” said his dad, noting that it was an exceptional occasion when Kennda asked him for a Notre Dame jacket.

On September 14, 2017, Kennda was found dead in the parking lot of an East Nashville apartment complex. Taking comfort from his faith, Kennda Watkins Sr. said, “I know where my child is now.”

Date of Birth: May 29, 2002
Date of Death: July 25, 2017
Death by gunshot wound

Jaezoine was a helpful and friendly boy who, at 6’1” tall, loved to play basketball. The likeable 15-year-old had graduated from Two Rivers Middle School and was a rising10th-grader at McGavock High.

On July 25, 2017, Jaezoine was running an errand for his grandmother when he had an altercation with several individuals, one of whom shot and killed him. “He wasn’t a troubled kid, had no record,” his mother Shamika Woods told The Tennessean. “I can’t say nothing bad about my child.”