Mom demands justice after son's death in East Chicago: 'Never thought it would be my kid'

A mother is demanding justice after her seven-year-old son was shot to death in East Chicago while sleeping in their family van just blocks away from home. 

Fox News' Gianno Caldwell spoke to the victim's mother and shared their exchange Monday on "Fox & Friends."

Ollie Jean Holiness' son Jeremiah Moore was murdered in East Chicago, Indiana on July 12. East Chicago, Indiana is just over the border from the Chicago suburbs, about 20 miles from the crime-ridden South Side.

"He was the greatest seven-year-old I ever knew: fun, loving, outgoing, caring, and had a sense of humor. He was a community activist to stop the violence in Chicago. He let it be known that he didn't like what was going on in his own city," Holiness said.

Caldwell added," And he was passionate about that at seven years old."

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Holiness said even though murders were so often reported on the news, she never thought her child would be a victim. However, one simple stop at the gas station spiraled into a tragedy.

"It went from just a simple stopping at a gas station to my car being ambushed from three different ways from behind in front, and on the driver's side. Only a few bullets hit. Unfortunately, the one that came from behind was fatal," Holiness said.

Jeremiah was asleep in the family’s van when shots rang out. Holiness said her oldest child thought the sounds were fireworks until she realized the car was being ambushed. Holiness tried to find help for her son at the fire department, but no one answered. She then rushed Jeremiah to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

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Holiness, who left the Southside of Chicago for a better life in Indiana, has since returned to live with her family. She shared a message about her son.

"I can just say that what they have been doing is not enough," she said about Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx.  

The most recent Chicago Police Department statistics, which cover Jan. 1 to July 22, show that murders have dropped about 16% to date this year compared to last, but they are also about 30% higher than in 2019. There were 379 murder complaints and 1,598 shootings.

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Illinois State Police announced last month that Chicago-area shootings that fall within their jurisdiction are down 36% in the first half of 2022 compared to the year earlier, along with a 90% reduction in homicides.

Holiness said the lives of the killers, who are still at large, would go on to be normal but hers will never be the same.

"Don't let me feel like all hope has been lost. His death is being swept up under the rug. I just didn't want my son to be a statistic. I dedicated my entire life to my children," Holiness said.

Caldwell asked, "Do you think they need to get tougher on crime?"

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"I do. Chicago's like a gun range. I’ll never get better," she responded.

Caldwell's 18-year-old brother, Christian, was fatally shot in Chicago on June 24.

Anyone with information on events that transpired on the evening of Jeremiah's death is encouraged to call the East Chicago Police Department at 219-516-2151.

Fox News' Amy Nelson contributed to this report.