Houston grandmother vows to fight for justice in the killing of her granddaughter
HOUSTON - A Houston grandmother makes a heartfelt appeal for justice after her granddaughter was killed by the father of her child, on their daughter’s birthday.
In what can only be described as a tragic turn of events, Jalen Whitlock's family grapples with her absence after her murder, reportedly at the hands of Jalin Foreman, the father of her children.
During a birthday celebration that turned grim, Whitlock, who authorities say was 10 weeks pregnant, was allegedly shot by Foreman on Sept. 12.
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Angela Whitlock, the victim's grandmother, painfully recounted, "He killed my granddaughter in front of his children, making them instant orphans."
Although Whitlock and Foreman were no longer in a relationship, they remained in contact to co-parent their daughters, ages 3 and 6.
Whitlock, who had been with a new partner for a year, was expecting her third child.
"The mother that she is, and what we would do for that baby," Whitlock said, "That's my great grand baby that he killed, in addition to my granddaughter."
The impact on the two young girls has been profound; the 3-year-old has been reenacting the shooting, while the 6-year-old is inundated with questions.
"She wants to have a birthday, and then she doesn't, saying 'my daddy killed my mommy on my birthday,'" recounted Angela Whitlock. "Granny, why on my birthday?"
Whitlock says Foreman was a great boyfriend and father to her granddaughter and great grandchildren but once his relationship ended with her granddaughter, things changed.
"Jalin Foreman was an excellent daddy in the beginning, he was an excellent boyfriend. I’m not going to take that from him. He was an excellent father, but when the relationship changed, then all of this stuff went on," Whitlock said.
Foreman is being charged with murder, but Whitlock wants him to be charged with double homicide as her granddaughter was 10 weeks pregnant.
"[I want] justice for Jalen and all her children, and I'm not going to stop until it’s a double homicide charge," Whitlock said.