On March 14, 2023, 14-year-old Nehemiah Cepeda of Brockton, Massachusetts, died after being shot in his home. The incident occurred just before 2 a.m. on Tribou Street, where Nehemiah was shot allegedly by his mother's boyfriend, Justelino Resende, in a closet.
Nehemiah was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead. His mother, 39-year-old Felicia Cepeda Williams, was also shot once in the chest and was taken to Boston Medical Center in critical condition.
Justelino
Resende, who had been in a long-term on-and-off relationship with Felicia Williams, was charged with one count of murder, possession of a firearm, and two counts of assault with intent to murder. During his arraignment in Brockton District Court, Resende pleaded not guilty to all charges and was held without bail.
The shooting was the culmination of a night of escalating violence between Resende and Williams. Prosecutors stated that the couple had a history of domestic disputes, with multiple 911 calls made against each other in the past, although none of these incidents resulted in the issuance of a restraining order.
Nehemiah's death highlights the tragic consequences of domestic violence, particularly its impact on children. According to local and state statistics, an estimated 43,000 children in Massachusetts are exposed to domestic violence each year, and nationwide, between 3.3 million to 10 million children are at risk of witnessing such violence annually.
Nehemiah was a 9th-grade student at the Huntington School in Brockton and enjoyed activities such as going to the movies, playing with Legos and action figures, video games, and listening to music by artists like Bruno Mars and U2. He is survived by his parents, paternal and maternal grandmothers, a brother, seven sisters, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
