Signs: Facebook Kid Killed Despite Uncle’s Intervention

Well, it seems that the highly-publicized Tough Love from his uncle didn’t save him…16-year-old Michael Taylor, was recently shot and killed right outside his New Orleans home in a real-life thuggin’ situation. Here’s the story 

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said Michael Taylor, 16, was found shot to death shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7 when deputies responded to a report of gunshots in the area. Taylor had been shot multiple times.

Sgt. Larry Dyess, JPSO spokesman, told the Times-Picayune that authorities had no suspect or motive in the incident.

Taylor’s mother, Kimberly Ward, told the newspaper that she kept strict tabs on her son, even making him stay on the sidewalk in eyesight of their home when he went outside. The night of the shooting, she said, Taylor received a text message from a friend at about 8 p.m. and went outside to chat.

“She said she called him back inside a few minutes later to find out what was going on, and he told her he was just talking and went back outside. A few minutes later, her daughter received a text message saying that Taylor had been shot, and then another saying he was dead,” the newspaper reported.

“Ward said she rushed from the house, driving around the neighborhood looking for her son, but didn’t find him until she was coming back to her apartment complex. That’s when she saw his body on the cold sidewalk, clad in the red sweatshirt she’d noticed when he left the house.

“I came home and saw my son on the ground,” Ward said.

In the YouTube video, posted in January, Taylor’s uncle ordered him to disavow any ties to gangs, announced that the family “don’t come from that sh–,” and then proceeded to take off his belt and spank Taylor in full view of the laptop camera.

Rappers Lil Wayne and Birdman spoofed the video, as did another video site called StuntKidzTV.

The original video sparked tons of reaction, from people who applauded the uncle’s actions, calling it an overdue return to old-school parenting and discipline, to those who speculated the public flogging might drive the teenager deeper into a gang’s circle because the youth had been humiliated.

Back in January, this seemed funny – at least funny enough for rappers to spoof the kid and his uncle. But, losing a life that could have been saved is never a joke. Let’s stop this senseless violence, people. That young boy had a promising life ahead of him, and apparently, an uncle who cared. More kids need Tough Love, and hopefully, before it’s too late.