Mother of 2-year-old shot dead in Durham speaks out

EXCLUSIVELY on WRAL, the mother of a 2-year-old child shot and killed in Durham speaks out.

The child, Manariah, was killed in a drive-by shooting last week on Cornwallis Road. Her mother, 20-year-old Shycresha Spears, was grazed by a bullet during the incident.

Police are searching for the person who fired the fatal shots Monday evening and are collecting tips from the public.

Manariah, a two-year-old girl with a big smile and an even bigger personality, brought joy to everyone around her.

“She was a happy person when she came into the world, she was just happy,” said Shycresha Spears, Manariah’s mother.

However, on June 20, just after 8:00 p.m., a gunman took her short life.

Durham Police say shots were fired at the Campus Crossings apartment complex on East Cornwallis Road.

A 22-year-old man was shot, Manariah’s mother was shot and a 2-year-old was fatally wounded.

She was taken to hospital, but the baby died eight days later.

“I’m doing okay. I’m trying to be strong for my 3-year-old,” Spears said.

Spears opened up about how she copes on a daily basis.

“My family, my friends and the memories of her,” she said.

By holding on to those memories, she hopes to give her daughter a proper burial. The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help cover expenses as Spears copes with the devastating loss.

“I pray to God to help me get through this difficult time,” Spears said.

Spears said she is waiting for the autopsy results before planning a funeral.