A Georgia woman is still seeking justice for her deceased 21-year-old son, months after his death. Malachi Mitchell was shot dead in the front seat of a car in January. The shooter was caught and released after his actions were ruled as an act of self-defense.
Malachi’s mother has spent the past year mourning the death of her son and demanding justice. Kenya Mitchell is a mother of five who is unable to move on from the loss of her eldest son.
She revealed that her family has been trying to help her cope by advising her to let it go. “Dad, brothers, my mom — they are all like, ‘You’ve got to keep moving, you’ve got other kids, don’t let it consume you,’” she shared in an interview with People.
She said that was easier said than done. The 39-year-old admitted that she has tried to rest her mind. “My mind is hard to rest,” she shares.
Kenya revealed that Malachi would have turned 22 in December if he were alive, which is a realization that sits heavily. “And the holidays are even harder. I’m trying to push through, but I’ve been steadfast in the journey,” she shared.
The tragic incident that unfolded in January was deeply investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for a month. In February, Lt. Col. Tavarreus Pounds revealed that the 21-year-old met with a man to sell a firearm.
The two men allegedly got into a conflict inside a car right after the sale was made. The man in the driver’s seat, who was there to buy the firearm, pulled out a second gun and shot Malachi.
“The driver fled the scene. Just minutes later, a deputy stopped him for his erratic driving and discovered Mitchell’s body,” the lieutenant shared. The man was caught for reckless driving after fleeing the scene. Soon after, authorities found the 21-year-old’s body and brought the man in for questioning.
The case was shut by the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office in September after they wrote off the man’s actions as self-defense. Testimony from a relative of Malachi’s played an important role in the investigation.
The relative of the family shared that the 21-year-old constantly boasted about being “a scammer.” Dalia Racine, a district attorney, sympathized with Kenya, who lost her son but stood firm by the decision that was made.
“While we are sympathetic to Ms. Mitchell’s grief over the loss of her child, we must make our decisions based on the facts, evidence, and the law as we did in this case,” Racine said in a statement given to People.
Kenya, on the other hand, has made it clear that she will not stop until she gets justice that she thinks has been denied for her son’s death. She went on to share that her family, including the rest of her children, is having a hard time moving forward with their lives.
“I think everybody just tries to keep moving, keep going,” she noted.
