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A 19-year-old Trenton teen has been charged with murder in connection to the shooting death of 9-year-old Sequoya Bacon-Jones.
Isiah Roberts is charged with murder, second-degree aggravated assault, possession of weapons and other crimes.
According to authorities, Bacon-Jones was playing with her brother in the courtyard when she was shot by a stray bullet and rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center and later to Robert Wood Johnson New Brunswick Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onifri believes the shooting happened because of social media posts.
Onifri says a dispute broke out between two women on Facebook, one of which was the gunman’s sister.
The argument escalated between Roberts and another man, and gunfire erupted, hitting innocent bystander Bacon-Jones.
“It was a dispute over how one of the women was raising her children. They were called out on Facebook,” Onifri explained. “It was determined that two females were in a dispute over Facebook posts, and they went to the courtyard to fight. As the fight was taking place, an altercation ensued between Isiah Roberts and another male in the immediate area of the fight.”
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Bacon-Jones’ mother, Sacha, remembers her daughter fondly.
“She was a bright 9-year-old little girl. She came into this world fighting. She left this world fighting.”
She thanked the police for their work which led to her daughter’s alleged murderer.
“I want to thank TPD, detectives,” Shea Bacon-Jones said. “Now all I have are memories. I can’t make anymore. She can’t do anymore. And that’s not fair.”
Mercer County Police requested that Roberts stay in jail until his trial date.
Our condolences and prayers go out to the Bacon-Jones family and friends.