Milwaukee man charged after leaving boy, 11, dying of gunshot wound without calling 911

Christopher Taper, 44, allegedly abandoned his girlfriend's 11-year-old son Samare Heard after the boy suffered a fatal gunshot wound. Taper never called 911 and fled the scene.

Milwaukee man fled home after 11-year-old was shot, never dialed 911

Christopher Taper, 44, faces charges of child neglect resulting in death after Milwaukee police say he abandoned his girlfriend's young son while the boy lay bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head and never called for help, Law & Crime reports.

The incident occurred on the night of Aug. 17. Jamie Campbell, Taper's girlfriend of six years, had left for her third-shift job shortly after 9 p.m. when Taper called her in a panic to say that her 11-year-old son, Samare Heard, had shot himself. Campbell immediately called her sister and asked her to go to the house.

When Campbell's sister arrived, she found no emergency vehicles, no police cars — nothing. According to the criminal complaint reviewed by Law & Crime, police later determined that "it appeared that nobody called 911." Taper had already left the residence. He did not answer his phone.

Campbell's sister called 911 herself. First responders arrived at 9:44 p.m. and found Samare unconscious and not breathing on the living room floor. Despite lifesaving efforts, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene. He had a single gunshot wound in the middle of his forehead. A Taurus G3 9 mm handgun was found near his feet.

Police say Taper "left the residence" and left Samare "to die alone." Campbell's sister told officers she could not believe he had done so, saying he had "left him to die alone."

Campbell told police she was aware that Taper was a convicted felon who sometimes carried a firearm, which he kept in a black backpack. Campbell's sister informed officers at the scene that Taper was unemployed and sold drugs for income. Court records show Taper has an open case from 2023 in which he is charged with possession with intent to deliver THC, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.

Taper is now charged with neglect of a child resulting in death, felony possession of a firearm, and two counts of bail jumping. As of the time of reporting, he remained at large.

In an interview with Milwaukee Fox affiliate WITI, Campbell appealed directly to Taper to surrender. "You have to do the right thing," she said. "If you love us and you love my baby."

Source: Law & Crime