Toddler, 3, riddled with bullets after dad used him as ‘human shield’ has died

Yaseem Jenkins, three, was shot in the head, neck and buttocks at the age of 11 months after his father Nafes Monroe took him to a drug deal because he mistakenly believed rivals would not see little Yaseem in the open fire

A toddler used as a “human shield” by his father in a drug deal gone awry in 2019 has died.

Little Yaseem Jenkins, three, was less than a year old when he was riddled with bullets in the head, neck and buttocks.

His father, Nafes Monroe, had taken Yaseem in the car to buy drugs with counterfeit bills in the Hunting Park area of ​​Philadelphia.

Monroe mistakenly believed that if he had the kid with him, the dealers he was trying to mine would not retaliate.

But the drug deal went awry and suspected gunman Francisco Ortiz, 29, shot into Monroe’s vehicle – hitting the boy who was in the back seat, officials say.

At a news conference on Friday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said the cause of baby Yaseem’s death is currently unknown, but authorities believe he died from injuries he sustained three years ago.

If the coroner decides his death was a homicide, Ortiz is likely to face charges of murdering the boy New York Post reports.

According to local media, police at the time accused Monroe of recklessly endangering the well-being of a child and another person.

Anthony Voci, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, said after the shooting: “Our investigation has led us to believe that he had his child with him on purpose when making such purchases, with the idea or belief that if anyone saw that he had a child in the car that they would not shoot at him.

“A human shield is probably the term I would use.”

Within hours, another baby was shot dead with the same gun used on Naseem.

Two-year-old Nikolette Rivera suffered a gunshot wound to her back from the heat after suspects opened fire at her North Philadelphia home.

Police officers believe Ortiz passed the firearm to Nikolette’s alleged killers, local media reports.