GRESHAM, Ore. (KOIN) — The steps where the boy used to play were lined with candles on Sunday night, joined by a few of his favorite things. His teddy bear laid there, next to a couple of red toy cars, a green Gatorade bottle and some flowers, right at the spot where he used to dance and flash his 13-month old ever-present smile.
And there, in front of the memorial were his tiny, white and red Air Jordans, the left’s laces still looped from when he wore them last.
On Thursday, Gresham emergency personnel responded to a call of a boy who wasn’t breathing. He was unconscious when they got there, and despite the emergency workers’ best attempts to revive him, Dominick passed away, just over a year after he was born.
Two days later, after an investigation ruled Dominick’s death a homicide, Shalondre Adams, the mother’s boyfriend who friends and family said acted like a father to Dominick, was arrested, booked and charged with the boy’s murder.
Friends and family of Adams believe he’s innocent.
“They need to figure out what actually happened and pray for the dad and the family and everybody who lost someone they loved,” said Tyler Patrick.
Latavon Spencer said he was at the apartment when people started to realize there was something wrong with Dominick.
“The ambulance was called we were in there trying to get him to breathe and he wouldn’t wake u,” Spencer said. “We were trying to help little neph and he was gone.”
Then, two days later, Adams, 21, was arrested for Dominick death.
“I’ve never seen Shalondre this hurt before,” Spencer said, “ever.”
Adams was arrested in April, as well, for criminal mischief, menacing and assault. Now he’s facing a much bigger charge.
“My brother innocent,” said Spencer. “Stop sabotaging his name, man and, just pray for us. That’s all I got to say.”