Mother of Slain Son, Assaulted Daughter Speaks Out Skip to main content

Mother of Slain Son, Assaulted Daughter Speaks Out

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - Richmond Police detectives have identified and located a juvenile teen male who is currently being medically evaluated in connection with Thursday night's homicide and assault on the 200 block of Brandon Road that left a young boy dead.

Around 6:30 p.m. on May 1, police responded to a report of an assault on two children under 13. One child, 8-year-old Martin Cobb of Richmond, was killed while the other was taken to the hospital.

The children's stepfather and aunt say Cobb and his 12-year-old sister were in their backyard, playing near some railroad tracks. They say a man walking on the tracks sexually assaulted the girl and cut her face. Young Martin tried to intervene and that's when their family members say the man threw a rock at his head. He died instantly.

Initially, police were given information that the suspect was an adult white male with scraggly facial hair, but it was later determined that the victim had been threatened and intimidated by the suspect, who is a teenage black male. Warrants have been obtained for the suspect's arrest.

Stunned neighbors and friends watched as police transformed their street into a crime scene. The devastated neighborhood had nowhere else to turn but prayer. Many gathered in a circle to pray and comfort one another.

"This is a neighborhood that has been torn and stricken and actually destroyed," said family friend Markeita Boyd. "My heart hurts tonight."

The 12-year-old girl is at the hospital recovering, and family members say she's shocked and traumatized, as are the children's parents.

"Our hearts are heavy tonight," said neighbor Derik Jones. "Our hearts go out to this family. Our hearts go out to this community."

Martin Cobb was a student at Redd Elementary School. Richmond Public Schools sent a statement extending thoughts and prayers to the victim's family: "Our top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff," it says. "Crisis counselors are currently in place and will continue to be made available to support our Redd Elementary School family and community during this difficult time."

RPS also said, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our Redd Elementary School students, and extend our thoughts and prayers to the victim's family and friends,"

Across the Richmond area, Martin is being hailed a hero. On Friday afternoon, Chesterfield County/Colonial Heights Crime Solvers, Inc. tweeted, "Our 1000th Tweet- #RVA's Greatest Superhero... Heroes Live Forever," along with a picture of the boy.

Martin's mother, Sharain Spruill, couldn't hold back tears as she spoke about her son, who she lovingly called "Marty," to ABC 8News Reporter Mark Tenia on Friday.

"You the man of the house, protect the ladies, and he tried to protect his sister, and he got killed," Spruill said. "He was a happy child, happy ... my baby, my only boy."

Spruill added that her little boy loved to play with his toy cars.

Pastor Theodore Hughey says he knows the victims well and the suspect. He is filled with confusion as to what happened.

"I could not grasp why anything of this nature would take place, and I even ask the question, 'Why?'" he said. "The only thing I could say is mercy be shown to him; I don't know what provoked him."

Hughey and friends of the family say Martin and his sister were inseperable.

"You never saw one without the other," Hughey said. "Even if they rode a bicycle, both of them were on the same bicycle. So, you couldn't get them apart from each other."

A prayer vigil for Martin will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at Abundant Life Church at 201 Brandon Road, Richmond, Va. 23224.

"For something like this to happen, it's really shaken the entire community," Hughey said. "Whatever areas we have to help [the family] with, we're going to be there for them."

A memorial fund has also been set up in Cobb's honor. If you would like to donate, contact any Wells Fargo bank and tell them you would like to donate to the "Keys for Marty Foundation."

A formal White House petition has been filed, asking the Obama administration to posthumously recognize Martin for his efforts to save his sister.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers by calling 804-780-1000 or texting “iTip” followed by the tip to 274637.

Stay with ABC 8News on air, online and on the go for updates on this developing story as they become available.

http://www.wric.com/story/25408658/sources-child-killed-in-south-richmond

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chronology of the Press in Burma

1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern  Burma . The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.     March 3, 1836 —The first English-language newspaper,  The Maulmain Chronicle , appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. September 1842 —Tavoy’s  Hsa-tu-gaw  (the  Morning Star ), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of  Sgaw ,  is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. January 1843 —The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian  Dhamma  Thadinsa  (the  Religious Herald ), in Moulmein. Supposedly the first Burmese-language newspaper, it continued up until the first year of the second Angl

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do

Is 160 enough? One Indian man's family

By Sumnima Udas , CNN October 31, 2011 -- Updated 0857 GMT (1657 HKT) Ziona, center, with his has 39 wives, 86 children and 35 grandchildren in rural Baktwang village, India. STORY HIGHLIGHTS One man in India is the patriarch of a family of 160 in rural India Ziona, who only goes by his first name, has 39 wives, 86 children and 35 grandchildren. Ziona's father, Chana, founded the Christian sect in Baktwang that promotes polygamy "I never wanted to get married but that's the path God has chosen for me" Mizoram, India (CNN) -- The world's population hits 7 billion this week, but Ziona, the patriarch of what may be the biggest family in the world, is not bothered. "I don't care about overpopulation in India ... I believe God has chosen us to be like this (have big families). Those who are born into this family don't want to leave this tradition so we just keep growing and growing," he says with a smile. Ziona, who only goes by his f