Mother of three, Tonora Jones, lost her daughter Ta’Shuntis “Tootie” Roberts after a drive-by shooting occurred in their home in December 2015.

“She would have graduated in May on her 18th birthday from southwest high school. It would’ve been her graduation and her 18th birthday,” Jones said.

Terrance Hampton, 22, has been charged for Tootie’s murder. However, the investigation is still ongoing because police say the gun that was used to kill Tootie was also used in another murder in Bibb County. Jones feels there are people that have information but won’t come forward.

“… the mentality is don’t talk, don’t say anything. Don’t be a snitch. But what if it was your sister, your daughter, your family member? You’d want answers, I want answers,” said Jones.

The forty-year old joined a group for mothers who have also lost children to violence for support but said that mothers alone can not stop youth violence. She believes more community-based efforts need to be put in place in order to make a dent in the issue.

“We have to stop and save our youth because we’re losing them. We’re losing them too fast and too quick to the streets, to the drugs, to the gangs, to the violence, to the jail system and also to the graveyard.”

The women will march together in the 2019 Downtown Macon Christmas parade on Sunday, December 1st.

This story is a part of Peacing Together, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to youth violence.