Layla Steele: Houston Mother Shot Dead With Baby In Her Arms
Layla Steele was shot four times and her baby was wounded in a shooting at a Houston apartment. She died in the hospital.
Layla Steele couldn’t wait to celebrate her baby boy’s first birthday. He was turning 1 year old and she wanted the day to be memorable.
“Everybody that knew Layla knows that she loves her son," Layla's mother Shirley told Houston TV station KHOU.
While Steele was preparing for the big day, Houston police got a call about a reported shooting at an apartment complex around 10:30 a.m.
When officers arrived on the scene, Steele was fighting for her life. She had been shot four times while holding her 1-year-old son. The baby was shot in the ankle as well.
The victim’s mother said that she was on a call with her daughter when the shooting occurred.
“He’s telling her in the background go in the house,” she told KHOU. “Go in the house. We both told her no, don’t go in the house. And the next thing you know, she was like, 'Mom, Mom!' And the phone hung up," Shirley Steele said.
The fatal domestic violence shooting happened on the morning of Thursday, July 1, 2021.
Steele was tended to by medical personnel on the scene, but died at a nearby hospital, according to KTRK.
The baby, Zeus, was admitted to the hospital as well, and was treated for an ankle wound.
“Every year we celebrate his birthday, we have to celebrate losing my sister,' Jazz, Layla Steele's sister, told KHOU.
Jazz is disappointed in the justice system. She said that the suspect should have been in jail. ““We would say the only way we could get him away from her is if he’s in jail," Jazz told KHOU. “She was scared of him. She was in love with him, but she was scared of him. There’s no way that that should’ve slipped, where seven felony bonds, a person was out, and I feel like, my sister’s blood is on their hands.”
Houston authorities believe the suspect is the father of the child, who was out of jail on seven felony bonds. He also was wearing an ankle monitor.
However, it's unclear if he was wearing the device at the time of the shooting.
Police were searching for him as of this writng.
"We wonder what could we have done to prevent this. Once again, we don't want to put any fault anywhere, however, with the suspect being out on bond for seven major felonies, this could have been prevented," HPD Asst. Chief Patricia Cantu told reporters.
Domestic Violence Resources
National Domestic Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)