Florida Mom Pleads with 4-Year-Old Daughter to ‘Get Up’ After Deadly Car Shooting

Lifestyle
Paul Johns
February 12, 2025
0
90
9 minutes read

( Image: Broward Sheriff’s Office-Gofundme)

Three Florida men have been charged with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of a mother and her 4-year-old daughter during a late-night attack on the Florida Turnpike. The latest arrest came Friday (February 7) when Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputies, assisted by homicide detectives and the Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response (VIPER) unit, apprehended 20-year-old Kamarri Sanders in Miami Gardens.

Sanders now faces two counts of first-degree murder for his alleged role in the June 2024 killing of Beatrice Saintvil, 28, and her daughter, Janelle Souffrant. Authorities had previously arrested Antoine Harris, 28, and Jaquan Thomas, 29, in December, after investigators identified them as suspects in the deadly shooting.

Officials say the trio ambushed Beatrice and Janelle while they were driving along Florida’s Turnpike near Hollywood Boulevard and Mile Marker 49 on June 7. The attack occurred around 11:15 p.m., leaving the victims’ vehicle riddled with bullets on the left shoulder of the highway, according to Law and Crime.

Heartbreaking details emerged from a 911 call made in the moments following the shooting, revealing Beatrice’s desperate final words as she searched for her daughter in the darkness. “The caller kept stating ‘Where’s the baby,’ and ‘Get up, get up,’” an emergency dispatcher told Miami’s Fox affiliate WSVN.

Tragically, Janelle was pronounced dead at the scene, while Beatrice succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. A passerby, Anyley Cabrera, who noticed the bullet-riddled car while driving home from work, described the horrific aftermath to Miami CBS affiliate WFOR: “The car was destroyed,” she recalled.

Officials say Harris and Thomas were each charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Thomas was already incarcerated in Georgia on unrelated charges when authorities identified him as a suspect, while Harris was taken into custody in Miami Gardens on December 20 after an extensive investigation. Sanders’ arrest now marks the latest development in the case.

Also Read: 16-Year-Old Pregnant California Girl Killed Confronting Man Over Sister’s Alleged Sex*ual Abuse
Also Read: 23-Year-Old US Army Soldier Stabbed 70 Times in the Neck and Killed at Home

Despite the arrests, investigators remain uncertain about the motive behind the killing. Broward Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Claudinne Caro emphasized the senseless nature of the crime. “This is one of those cases that truly breaks your heart. We’re talking about a mom and her 4-year-old daughter shot to death inside their vehicle,” Caro told WSVN.

Last year, authorities considered whether the shooting was a case of road rage or a targeted attack. “Detectives have more questions than answers, and they really need the public to come forward,” Caro said in June. “Somebody must have heard something. Somebody could have seen something.” As of now, both Sanders and Harris remain detained at BSO’s Main Jail, while officials await the extradition of Thomas from Georgia.