Man held without bond in death of Chicago boy hit by car
Jul 13, 2015, 3:37 PM
CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago man accused of killing a baby when he slammed his vehicle into a stroller while fleeing police was charged Monday with first-degree murder.
Family members of 13-month-old Dillan Harris wept and one shouted, “You killed my baby,” as Antoine Watkins made his first court appearance. Watkins, 21, is charged with first-degree murder and was ordered held without bond in the infant’s death on Saturday.
Authorities said Watkins was being pursued by police after the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Marvin Carr, a rapper who also went by Capo, authorities said.
The chase started when an off-duty Chicago Aviation Department officer heard the sound of gunfire and allegedly saw Watkins walk “calmly” to a red Toyota and drive away on the South Side of Chicago, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Cooper said during the hearing. The officer followed the vehicle and called Chicago police.
Watkins stopped briefly, but sped off as officers exited their vehicles, Cooper said. He went through several red lights before losing control of his vehicle, which jumped the sidewalk, sideswiped a light pole and slammed into the stroller as Harris’ mother waited at a bus stop, Cooper said.
Members of Harris’ family have said they were taking the infant to the beach. The stroller was dragged several feet. Dillan was taken to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Cooper said Watkins admitted to driving the Toyota.
As Cooper was reading the details of the case, members of the boy’s family wept. One woman became distraught and had to be escorted from the court. She later left without talking to reporters.
Watkins also is charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding. He was represented in court by an attorney with the public defender’s office, and Judge Peggy Chiampas said he will ultimately be represented by the public defender’s office.
The prosecutor said Watkins is on probation in connection with previous illegal activity. He is not charged in Carr’s death.
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