Police Kill Mother and Two-Month-Old Baby

“They shot my baby… It looked like her head exploded. Her blood splattered across my glasses… all I could do was scream.” This is how father Mitchell Holder described witnessing police shoot his two-month-old baby girl in a home in Independence, Missouri. The police also killed his child’s mother Maria Pike, 34.

What Happened

On November 7, 2024, the grandmother of Maria Pike’s daughter called the police on Maria Pike and reported a domestic dispute. When the police arrived, they asked the grandmother if Maria had any weapons. She said Maria had no weapons but was “holding a baby.”

Although police allege Maria had a knife, no knife has been recovered.

Video footage shows police charging upstairs with their weapons drawn. According to Mitchell Holder, he was in the room when police came upstairs. He and the police communicated through the door before they barged in.

Within a matter of moments, the police opened fired, shooting and killing Maria Pike and her two-month-old daughter Destinii Holder in front of Mitchell. Although police allege Maria had a knife, no knife has been recovered. It has been confirmed so far only that she was holding her baby.

The Backlash

Maria’s community has come together to demand justice, transparency and accountability. Police have fought hard to suppress evidence, according to citizens and watchdog groups alike.

… there needs to be an overhaul of police policies and practices starting with a change in culture and hiring practices.

In the wake of these murders, the community gathered together to hold a vigil for Maria and Destinii led by property manager Carrie Lufkin. She urged the community to come together and even bought teddy bears for the kids. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker showed up to support the community as well.

The Takeaway

Police officers took the lives of a mother and her child in front of the child’s father and only feet away from the child’s grandmother within a matter of moments when it didn’t have to happen. The cops who did this must be held accountable. Still, holding them accountable without addressing the circumstances that allowed it to happen is a disservice to all communities. Once these officers face justice or even before, there needs to be an overhaul of police policies and practices starting with a change in culture.

This article was written by Jermaine Reed, MFA, the Editor-in-Chief of The Reeders Block. He also works an Adjunct College Professor. Join the email list to get notifications on new blog posts and books. This article is 100% human-written. And remember, if you see an error, that’s what makes us human. Subscribe and share.