Family of slain 6-year-old girl asks public for help with finding killer

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo stood with the grieving family of a slain 6-year-old girl on Monday.

Chassidy Saunders was killed on Jan. 16 in Miami. Acevedo said, “a little angel” was coming out of a birthday party, “a celebration of life” when she was killed.

“Just come forward and let us know who did this to our baby. It’s very hard to wake every day knowing that Chassidy is not with us,” said Sharon Cullins, Chassidy’s grandmother.

Acevedo said that even members of gangs know that children are off-limits. He had a message for the people who have information about the case: “Don’t be a coward and don’t stand up for a coward.”

Chassidy Saunders was killed during a shooting on Jan. 16 in Miami. (Family photo)

Chassidy’s father and mother took turns holding Chassidy’s brother who they said regularly asks about what happened to his sister.

“We go through days, sit at the table and eat, have to hear my youngest child ask me, ‘How did Chassidy die? When is she coming back? Where is she? How is she doing?’ That hurts,” said Charles Saunders, Chassidy’s father.

Chassidy’s family, Fernandez Rundle and Acevedo asked anyone with information about the fatal shooting to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Watch the news conference

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About the Authors

In January 2017, Hatzel Vela became the first local television journalist in the country to move to Cuba and cover the island from the inside. During his time living and working in Cuba, he covered some of the most significant stories in a post-Fidel Castro Cuba. 

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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