Cedrica Amerie Lee was 12 and a sixth-grader at Park Forest Middle School when she was fatally shot on the evening of May 13, 2023, in the Central neighborhood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. According to reports, Cedrica had been asked to accompany a woman to the home of that woman’s ex-boyfriend on Forest Grove Avenue; the visit was connected to an ongoing feud between adults and Cedrica was not part of the dispute.

Police say the ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend, Ester Williams, emerged from the house and fired a single shot that struck Cedrica. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities arrested 26-year-old Ester Williams on charges that included first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder, and arrested 36-year-old Patrick Johnson on allegations he assisted Williams after the shooting. The woman who allegedly brought Cedrica to the house was later arrested on charges including contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and stalking.

Cedrica’s family has described profound grief over the loss of a child caught in an adult conflict. Does anyone in the Baton Rouge area have information about the events that night or knew Cedrica and can help clarify what happened?