Crystal Pinkney described her 18-year-old daughter, Jazmiah Nelson, as a young woman who loved to dance, draw, and cheer in her free time. She was always laughing and smiling, her mother said, and was known to be an outgoing and loving person as the mother to a 2-year-old girl.
However, on May 22, Pinkney experienced a parent’s worst nightmare when she learned the news of her daughter’s death.
According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Nelson was shot and killed while riding on an ATV with two other friends near the 600 block of Pomonkey Way.
Pinkney said her daughter was at a block party at the time. Then for some reason, someone shot a gun that killed Jazmiah.
“There are no words to describe how I feel or how anyone would feel to even be in this position where I’m sitting here today,” she said.
Investigators believe the shooting was not random. However, nearly a week after the crime occurred, a search for whoever fired the gun continues.
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On Friday, the sheriff’s office raised the reward for information on the case to $7,500.
Pinkney said that she held no anger against the person who committed the crime.
“I’m not mad at the person that took my daughter’s life,” the mother said. “I just feel like I need closure and I need justice.”
Pinkney said more people must know about the impact of gun violence in the community.
Moving forward, she hoped to raise awareness about crime and show others the tragic side of using guns.
“Jazmiah wouldn’t want us to mourn her death but keep this alive and show people that we have better solutions other than picking up guns,” Pinkney said. “We have to learn to communicate with one another out here. People just want to react on something that can be so small and be resolved. We have to stop killing one another.”
“I know Jazmiah would want peace for everyone,” she added.
This investigation is ongoing. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information on the case to call Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.
As of Friday night, a GoFundMe effort organized by Pinkney to raise money for Jazmiah’s family had gathered over $10,000 in donations.
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