Children Murdered in Drug-Related Homicide in Maryland

Two children are among the dead in a bizarre drug-related murder that took place in Maryland. Two people were charged earlier today in what authorities are calling a "very disturbing" crime.

Lanham, Maryland

According to CNN, Darrell Lynn Bellard, 43, of Dickinson, Texas, and Tkeisha Nicole Gilmer, 18, of Texas City, Texas were arrested Friday and charged earlier this morning with first-degree murder, police in Prince George's County, Maryland, and even more charges may be pending.

Police Chief Roberto Hylton described the Lanham, Maryland crime scene as being "horrific." The dead include Shayla Shante, 3, and Shakur Sylvester Sikyala, 4, the children's mother, Dawn Yvette Brooks, 38, and their aunt, Mwasiti Sikyala, 41.

Chief Hylton told CNN reporters that the suspects and the victims were part of a "drug sales relationship and something went wrong."

"They were executed. They were shot multiple times" and the manner in which the children were murdered was "very disturbing," he said.

"If any case screams for justice, it is this case. I'm hopeful that justice will be served," he added.

Filthy Living Conditions

The description of the actual crime scene adds insult to injury in this violent and senseless act.

The living space was located above a house's garage. It had no running water, no air-conditioning and no toilets. Containers of fecal matter and lots of trash were found throughout the area where these women and children resided. Police officers were instructed to suit up with special bio-hazard outfits in order to remove items from the crime scene.

Chief Hylton said of the living quarters, "No human being should have been living there."

The Washington Post reports that these murders quite obviously were not random killings. LAw enforcement officials who spoke anonymously told reporters that a "large amount of marijuana" was found on the property.

People need to leave children out of their unlawful means of living and earning an income. If adults want to toy with their own lives through these stupids acts, so be it, but when innocent children are involved and lose their lives due to the adult's actions, the crime is elevated to an unspeakable level. Hopefully the authorities will discover and prosecute everyone involved in these horrible crimes, including the owner of the home where these women and children lived in unspeakable filth.

Photo Source: WikiMedia