In Independence, Missouri, a family has been left devastated after
local police shot and killed a mother and her 2-month-old baby. Police using excessive force is always a tragedy, but the fact that their victim was an infant is exceptionally heartbreaking.
The officer who did this is only on administrative leave, meaning he is likely still receiving pay, benefits, and could very likely go back to being an police officer.
We demand justice for victims Maria and her baby Destinii. Sign the petition to insist that the officer who shot baby Destinii and her mother be fired, investigated for the killings, and that the entire police force be investigated!Independence police chief Adam Dustman had the utter audacity to
defend the actions of the officer who killed Maria and her child. "Their response was exactly as they were trained to perform…" were his exact words.
If shooting a mother and her child is in line with the training provided to this police force, clearly there is a systemic problem there.Police are meant to serve and protect. But far too often, they abuse their authority and use
excessive force and violence. The people who need help the most are often the exact ones victimized by the authorities meant to be helping them.
In Maria's case, she was suffering from a severe case of postpartum depression -- "a grave and debilitating mood disorder" which occurs after giving birth. Postpartum depression affects hundreds of thousands of people each year in the United States alone, so it's something that trained professionals like police should be ready and able to compassionately and effectively handle.
Maria was in distress, and her family called the police because they thought they could help her and her baby, Destinii. "If I had known that baby was in danger with the police officers, then I would have never said anything," Destinii's grandmother told reporters. Far too often, this is the outcome for people who call the authorities for help, only to be met with violence.
Clearly, the officer that killed Maria and Destinii is not fit to serve as a police officer, and should be fired immediately and investigated for the killings. But beyond that, authorities must look into the culture and procedures of the Independence Police Department to understand how things led to this.
That's why we're using this petition to demand action and answers! If enough of us come together, maybe we can push for some real change in this police force.
Sign the petition demanding Maria and Destinii's killer be brought to justice, and that the Independence Police Department conduct a thorough investigation so this never happens again!