The family of 16-year-old Jacquil Owens begged the people of Miami for help in finding who is responsible for taking his life.
“I just want whoever did this to come forward,” said his mother Jacquiline Owens. “Please turn yourself in, that's all I'm asking, please.”
Owens was found shot in the back of his head near 1400 NW 61st Street around 7:30 pm on Nov. 26, just days later, he died from his injuries.Jacquil’s mother said he had dreams of becoming a pastry chef.
"For Thanksgiving, he helped my mom cook, baked her cakes, and baked the cake,” she said.
Thanksgiving would be the last holiday he would spend with his family. At Miami Police Department Headquarters on Friday, Jacquil’s mother was joined by his stepmother, April Owens, aunt, Tyshara Smith and detectives, all calling for the public to get involved.They said don’t want another family to feel the pain they are feeling now.
“Us together, we have tried to make things different, you know, for him,” said April Owens. “We tried.”
She said they tried by making sure Jacquil had his family’s love and support, and by keeping track of where he was going.
“You know it what's never we didn't know where he was, or not see him for days; it was never like that,” remembered Smith.
Jacquil’s family believes he was heading to a cousin’s house nearby, but what they and police need the public’s help with is filling in the gaps.
They need additional information, such as a name or description anyone Jacquil was seen with just before he died, and any tips as to who his killer might be.The 16-year-old’s stepmother hopes they find answers soon.
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“Life is too short to be lost at the age of 16,” she said, “something needs to be done."
