A Maryland mother is grieving the loss of her 4-year-old son, who was allegedly killed by his father on Christmas Eve during a domestic dispute.
Jacobi Jones, 4, was killed at their home in Rosedale, Maryland, during what police called a “domestic-related assault.”.. Continue reading here ▶
His mother, Promyss Marcelle, and his 1-year-old sister were also injured in the incident, according to Baltimore County Police. Jacobi was identified in his obituary as Jacobi Sa’Fiir Marcelle.
The boy’s father, 30-year-old Mark C. Jones, allegedly shot himself during the incident but survived.
He was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, child abuse, and assault, police announced on December 29.
According to police reports cited by CBS News and WMAR 2, the incident began on Christmas Eve morning around 6 a.m. Jones allegedly entered Marcelle’s room and started arguing.
Jacobi asked his father to leave the room, but Jones reportedly pulled a handgun from his backpack and loaded it. Marcelle, who was in bed with her children, heard a gunshot and felt herself fall to the floor after being hit.
Now, Marcelle is speaking out to honor her son and raise awareness about domestic violence.
“Even if you’re lonely or trying to keep your family together, it’s not worth it,” she told 11 News. “Take my story. I was forced to leave, and now I don’t have my son.”
During a community walk for domestic violence awareness, Marcelle shared memories of Jacobi’s excitement for Christmas. “He kept trying to open the presents, but I told him he had to wait until Christmas,” she said. “He never got to open those presents. But I’m keeping my son’s name alive.”
She described Jacobi as a boy who “lit up a room” and was “always smiling.”
On a GoFundMe page set up to cover funeral and recovery costs, Marcelle wrote, “Grieving the loss of my son has been the most unbearable thing I’ve ever had to deal with.”
Mark Jones has been charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree murder, but has not yet entered a plea. His attorney could not be reached for comment.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or thehotline.org.
For concerns about child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or visit childhelp.org. Both services are free, confidential, and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
