A Maryland mother-of-four was gunned down while nursing one of her twin babies in what police are calling a murder-suicide linked to domestic violence.
Taquia “Kiki” Nails, 32, was at her home on 62nd Avenue in Fairmount Heights near the Maryland/Washington, DC, border when her estranged boyfriend, 26-year-old Quindell Mercer, shot her around 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to Prince George’s County police.
Mercer, the father of the twins, later turned the gun on himself.
Nails’ mother, Lillie Nails, told FOX 5 News that the shooting stemmed from an argument between the couple.
“They got into it, and he asked her to say another word,” the grieving mother said. “She said ‘another word,’ and he shot her twice in the head. When I got there, the baby was full of blood.”
Nails’ 16-year-old niece, who was in the home at the time of the shooting, described what she saw.
“She told him to get out of her house multiple times. He came out of the bathroom and shot her three times while she was holding the baby,” the niece said. “I tried to pepper spray him, but he pointed a gun at me. It jammed, and I got out of the house. As I closed the door, he ran out and started shooting at me.”
The family revealed to FOX 5 that there was a history of domestic violence with the couple. They said Nails wanted Mercer to be involved in the twins’ lives, but that she did not want to stay in a romantic relationship with him – which caused him to become upset, they said.
“He was upset because she said she didn’t want to be in a relationship. And I’m going to make sure that people know that because she deserves for people to know the truth,” Qiana Barnes, Taquia’s best friend, explained.
Last spring, Nails sought a protective order against Mercer after he allegedly choked her, ABC7 reported. However, she decided not to go forward in court and the order expired.
“There was a history of this,” Kim Jackson, Taquia’s aunt, said.
“She had a restraining order. She did everything she was supposed to do in this situation. I’d like to see stronger legislation that tracks these people and makes sure they get some rehabilitative assistance.”
Nails’ family is now grieving her loss and say she was a loving and devoted mother to her four young children. They told FOX 5: “We’re falling apart. Everybody can’t believe it. It’s Kiki.”
A fundraiser was created to help pay for Nails’ funeral and to help support her four children.
Her sister London Nails said she never thought this would happen.
“She gave me all the advice. She’s the reason why I wanted to become a mom,” London said. “Who’s going to tell me anything? She’s not even here to tell me now... It’s like, who’s going to tell me how to be a mom?”
