COLUMBUS (WCMH) – A young girl is dead and her brother is in the hospital after a shooting inside a home on Kenview Road.
Police say a brother and sister – 12-year-old Cheyenne Stewart and 10-year-old ThaiJuan Green – were watching TV in the living room when their uncle, 59-year-old Milous Keith III, came in and opened fire.
“This has been just such a burden on the family. It’s just so sad, just so very sad,” said neighbor Jennie Crockett. “Right now, I’m still not believing it, not believing that I won’t see the little girl.”
Columbus Police Sgt. Joseph Plancon said Keith targeted the children.
“Grandma was babysitting and the uncle came in and just started shooting the kids for no apparent reason,” he said. “The 10-year-old apparently fled the house after being shot in the torso and went to a neighbor’s house and that’s where the medics transported him from.”
Stewart was pronounced dead at the scene. Her brother was transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in critical condition. Police say he is expected to survive.
Crockett says the children are “lovely” and very smart.
“The uncle is also very smart, he just has a problem with his alcohol, which is unfortunate,” she said.
Another neighbor, Mable Michael says their neighborhood is usually very quiet.
“It’s sad that these poor babies lose their life,” she said. “It’s so sad. It’s really sad.”
Police said Keith was still at the home when they arrived. He has been charged with murder and is currently behind bars at the Franklin County Jail.
“We don’t know what his history is as far as if he has some mental health issues, obviously detectives will interview him and try to get to the bottom of that,” sais Sgt. Plancon.
According to Franklin County Municipal Court records, Keith was on probation after pleading guilty to criminal mischief in August 2015.