MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A mother is speaking out months after she lost her son and nearly lost her infant grandson in a shooting outside Oak Court Mall.
Chrissy Forman would give anything to have one more day with her son.
“If I could have saved him, I would,” Forman said.
Memphis Police said on November 21, 2021, 21-year-old Jayson Hill and his 9 month old son Jaylen were leaving Oak Court Mall when someone pulled out a gun and shot them both.
Forman was at work when she got the call no mother ever wants.
“‘Mrs. Chrissy, have you talked to Jayson?’ Somebody called me and said a man a baby got shot at the Oak Court Mall,” Forman said.
Forman tried calling her son, but her calls went unanswered. Forman knew something wasn’t right.
“I told my boss I got to go, I called and told my husband to come get me,” Forman said.
By the time Forman showed up at the Oak Court Mall, paramedics had already rushed her son and grandson to the hospital, where both of them were suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
“They shot my son three times, and they shot my grandson five times,” Forman said.
Sadly, Hill didn’t survive. His mother was heartbroken and his nine month old son was in the hospital fighting for his life.
“When I first saw my grandson, he was swollen, he was so swollen that he couldn’t open his eyes, he had to have his eyes closed for almost two weeks,” Forman said. “He has a trach in his neck, he has bullet wounds that had to heal.”
Forman has this message for her son’s killer: “You are heartless, you are cruel, you are a menace to our society and you don’t need to see the light of day.”
Memphis Police released this picture of 30-year-old Samantha Bowens. They’ve said she’s a suspect.
Officers are also calling this man a suspect.
If you know where 30-year-old Samantha Bowens is hiding or recognize this suspect, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH or submit a tip online.