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3 Bay Area children found dead in a day

3 mins read

Three children were found dead on the same day in San Francisco and Napa County. According to investigators, all were victims of homicide. 

Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong identified the toddler as 2-year-old Ja’mari Madkins.

“This is a tragic case. This should not have happened. We are in contact with the child’s family and grandmother,” Armstrong told reporters at a news conference held Thursday afternoon.

Ja’mari’s body was found on December 23, and San Pablo Police Department officers alerted OPD. The Oakland homicide detectives classified the incident as a homicide and made an arrest. 

“An individual connected to the child’s death was identified and arrested,” OPD officer Darryl Rodgers said. 

Police did not release the suspect’s name but disclosed that the suspect has a “close connection to the child.”

Ja’mari lived with his grandmother, Maria, and mother, Alondra, according to family friends.

The grandmother’s friends wrote, “Ja’mari is Maria’s everything. She is devastated and heartbroken. Alondra is a young mom mourning for her baby. Ja’mari’s smile and infectious laugh will be missed by many who he brought such joy to in such a short time.”

A GoFundMe page created by the grandmother’s friend states, “Ja’mari’s life was tragically cut short. He was unexpectedly taken from his family.”

An Alameda County Sheriff’s coroner will perform an autopsy to determine Ja’mari’s cause and time of death. 

The police chief said he would release more information in the coming days to shed “more clarity about what happened. You will understand how tragic it was.”

Two more children, Paragon, 1, and Justice, 5, were found dead inside their San Francisco home on Navy Road in the Bayview neighborhood on December 23. 

Just after 7:30, the girls’ father called 911 and reported that he had just arrived home and found his daughters unconscious. 

Police responded to the crime scene and suspected Paulesha Alma Green-Pulliam, 34, who lived in the home. She is arrested on murder charges. 

Police say the Oakland and San Francisco homicides are not connected. 

The murders were committed with “malice and aforethought” sometime between December 21 and December 23, according to the criminal complaint filed by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. 

It is unknown if Green-Pulliam is the girls’ biological mother. 

Green-Pulliam is slated to be arraigned in court on Friday and remains behind bars with no bail.

Charlene

Charlene is a Bay Area journalist who hails from the small community of Fresno. Drawing from her experience writing for her college paper, Charlene continues to advocate for free press and local journalism. She also volunteers in all the beach cleanups she can because she loves the water.

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