31 Aug 2013

Teenager convicted of murder of baby boy

12:41 pm on 31 August 2013

A teenager in the United States has been convicted of murder in the shooting of a baby boy in Georgia in March.

The BBC reports De'Marquis Elkins, 18, now faces life in prison.

At the time of the shooting, he was 17 - too young to face the death penalty under the state law. Another youth, Dominique Lang, 15, is to be tried later.

The BBC reports the case sent shockwaves across America.

A jury in the town of Marietta, Georgia, on Friday found Elkins guilty of 11 charges, including two of felony murder and one of malice murder on 21 March.

The shooting happened in the town of Brunswick, as Antonio Santiago, aged 13 months, was being pushed in a stroller by his mother, Sherry West.

She told the court that Antonio was shot in the face and she was shot in the leg by Elkins after she refused to hand over her purse.