Four-Month-Old Foster Son Death-Messiah Diaz

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Hartford, Massachusetts, the “Massachusetts Department of Children and Families is investigating after a 4-month-old in the state’s foster care system was killed in a drive-by shooting in Hartford. 

“DCF is investigating this tragic situation and working in collaboration with law enforcement,” a spokesperson for DCF said in a statement to MassLive.

Hartford police said they went to Hartford Hospital around 2:47 p.m. after they got a call about a vehicle dropping off several people who had been shot.

Three people were hurt, police said. Jessiah Mercado, 20, and her 4-month-old son, Messiah Diaz, both of Springfield, were pronounced dead at the hospital.”

“The shooting happened a few “moments earlier” near 380 New Britain Ave. after police say Lance “Macho” Morales, 23, pulled up in a vehicle and opened fire, police said in a statement. 

Police are looking for Morales, whose last-known address is in Waterbury, after they said he was involved in a dispute over a vehicle, which led to the shooting.

Morales left the crime scene in a white Infiniti Q-70 with a Massachusetts license plate 3NEB35. But, police added, he may have access to other vehicles.

“Lance, you have no other option but to hand yourself in to the Hartford Police Department for the horrific crimes that you have done,” Interim Chief Kenny Howell said at a press conference Wednesday. “You have taken the life, the lives, of an infant and his mother. We do not tolerate that in this city.””

Baby killed in Hartford drive-by shooting was in foster care in Mass.

[Massacusetts Live 11/20/24 by Heather Morisson]

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