WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Just one day after announcing anincrease in the reward for capturing the killer of Kaleb Watson, police are no closer to arresting who's responsible.
"It's not a dollar amount that you can put on the hurt that's coming from that family," a woman, who only wanted to be identified as Renee, told WPTV on Thursday.
She is talking about the family of the 1-year-old boy who was shot and killed while sitting in the backseat of a car on April 7.
"He didn't do anything to nobody," she said.
Renee is familiar with the pain Kaleb's family is going through. She said she lost her 1-year-old son in a violent home invasion in 2002.
"It's a pain that ain't never going to go away," she said.
Renee's son, Desi, was 9 at the time he lost his brother.
"I remember the feeling," he said. "I remember being in the hospital. I remember nights without him."
Kaleb's family released balloons in Currie Park in his honor. Less than a week ago, Kaleb's funeral was held. Police on Wednesday announced a $40,000 reward to drum up leads, but that doesn't seem to have worked.
"As of late afternoon Thursday, we don't have any leads that have been called in yet," West Palm Beach police spokesman Mike Jachles said.
Jachles said the community needs to step up.
"I think it's beyond disappointing," he said. "This is a 16-month-old child that was killed, an innocent baby. Somebody knows something. Somebody has information. That information will help us bring justice to the family."
Renee said she has one clear message.
"Be a man, be a man and own up to what they did," she said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS.