Nationwide — Honesty Cheadle, a 3-year-old African American girl from Washington D.C., sadly passed away after a stray bullet hit her while she sat in her family’s parked car early during the July 4th weekend. Police are still searching for the shooter as her family mourns their loss.
The incident happened around 3 a.m. on 14th Street Southeast. Honesty’s father had just pulled up and was about to bring her inside when a bullet tore through the vehicle and struck her in the head.
Honesty was rushed to the hospital but died a few days later. Her death has shaken both her family and the local community.
“That could have been my child,” said a nearby resident, according to WJLA.
Honesty’s aunt, Tonia Cheadle, had been waiting to pick her up that morning. “I can’t bring her back. I just want her here,” she said. The family still remembers the spot where the bullet broke the car’s glass.
Her uncle, Raymond Cheadle, a special police officer, arrived at the scene after getting the call. “You took a baby,” he said. “Remember her name, Honesty, because she was honest, she was an innocent child.”
Raymond urged the person responsible to come forward and called for anyone with information to speak up.
“Whoever did this. Knuckle down and say, ‘Man, I messed up.’ That could be your mother, that could be one of your nieces, that could be your little sister or your own child,” Raymond said.
Police have linked 24-year-old Charles Rucker to the shooting. They are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The search continues as the community seeks justice for Honesty.