Child shot on Milwaukee's north side; 2 men charged
MILWAUKEE - Two Milwaukee men have been criminally charged after a child was shot on the city's north side in November.
The accused are 22-year-old Elijah Ely and 24-year-old Khiree Santiago-Boss.
Ely – who prosecutors said is the child's father – is charged with neglecting a child and bail jumping. Santiago-Boss is charged with neglecting a child, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and two counts of bail jumping.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
According to a criminal complaint, the Milwaukee Fire Department was dispatched to a home near 64th and Custer the night of Nov. 8 in response to a 911 call regarding a 3-year-old child who sustained a gunshot wound to the head.
When fire officials arrived at the scene, the child was "unconscious and barely breathing," the complaint states. As of court filings dated Nov. 30, the child remains in critical condition on life support – and is now 4 years old.
Police scene near 64th and Custer Avenue
The mother of the child told investigators that she has been in a relationship with Ely for a number of years and that they have two children together, including the victim. She said Santiago-Boss came over around 5 p.m. the day of the shooting, and he and Ely were hanging out downstairs.
The mother claimed the victim was going back and forth between upstairs and downstairs that night, per the complaint. She said she was upstairs giving the other child a bath when she heard a single gunshot followed by Ely and Santiago-Boss screaming. She ran downstairs to find the victim lying on the floor – and called 911. The complaint alleges Santiago-Boss then grabbed the phone, said it was his and he "had to go."
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
Ely and Santiago-Boss then fled the home, according to the complaint.
During an interview with investigators, the complaint states Ely said he and Santiago-Boss were "chilling on the couch smoking" before the shooting. He claimed Santiago-Boss had a gun and set it on the living room floor. He admitted they were not paying attention when the victim came downstairs – and the child took the gun and shot himself.
Ely also admitted that both he and Santiago-Boss fled the home immediately after and tried to evade apprehension by law enforcement, the complaint states.