Bond Denied For Suspects Arrested In Toddler's Fatal Shooting: Prince George's Police

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Two men charged in connection to the shooting death of 2-year-old Jeremy Poou-Caceres last week have been denied bond.

Attorneys for Israel Fuentes and Johnny Turcious did not ask the judge to let their clients out on bond at this time, according to Fox 5. Both men face murder charges in the toddler's death.

According to court paperwork, Fuentes called police 90 minutes after the incident, reporting his phone as stolen, which helped lead police to him. Court paperwork stated police believe Fuentes did that in order to conceal evidence that his phone placed him near the scene of the shooting, Fox 5 reported.

"Detectives believe this was an effort by Fuentes Jr. to explain why his historic cell phone location data would place him at the scene of the murder and to conceal his second cell phone number from police. This false report … is evidence of consciousness of guilt due to his involvement in the murder," according to charging documents.

Jeremy was being pushed in a stroller by his mom, 17-year-old Rose Carceras, near the Bedford Station Apartments in the 1400 block of Kanawha Street last Thursday. She also was shot, but survived her injuries. A detective working in the area heard gunfire and headed toward the sound. He found the mother and child with gunshot wounds and used his police trauma kit to perform life-saving measures on Jeremy until the ambulance arrived. However, Jeremy was pronounced dead a short time later at Children's National Hospital, according to the Prince George's Police Department. His mother was taken to a Washington, D.C., area hospital.

Prince George's Police has released a video depicting two additional men considered to be persons of interest. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest and indictment of these suspects.

In the video shared by Prince George's Police, one of the two men considered to be persons of interest can be seen Feb. 7 around 9:45 p.m. on surveillance footage getting out of a 2003 gold Ford Explorer and walking into a convenience store in the 9200 block of New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring. The second person of interest can be seen standing at the counter inside the store. The Ford Explorer they arrived in had been carjacked earlier that morning in the 1500 block of Kanawha Street in Langley Park. It’s the same SUV the suspects fled in after the toddler’s murder. The Ford Explorer has since been recovered, according to police.

A preliminary investigation indicates Fuentes and Turcios were in a group that exchanged gunfire with a second group last Thursday evening near where Jeremy and his mother were walking. Police say the pair were unintended targets and struck by stray bullets. The police department received multiple reports of people firing weapons in the area that night.

Prince George’s County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy said in a news conference that her office is diligently prosecuting this case.

"My heart is broken. Our community is grieving. The family of the baby is grieving, but our job now is to pursue justice," Braveboy said.

Both suspects have preliminary hearings scheduled for March.

A GoFundMe has been created to help with the funeral expenses for Jeremy, who celebrated his second birthday Jan. 12. His mother told FOX 5 that her son was a sweet little guy who loved Cocomelon and breakfast; his favorite drink was orange juice and he loved eating eggs.

"It’s not easy. Not only for me but for my family because Jeremy was not only my son, but he was also most of, like, with my two aunts, they were like the mother of my son too. They always took care of him and it was hard for me because he was the person I was holding onto to keep going with my life and now I don’t have him," Caceres told FOX 5.

"Jeremy was a child so full of joy and love. He was always so well behaved, and he loved watching Cocomelon. We could call his name for hours and he wouldn’t answer; it would be like he was in his own world but once he heard the bees buzzing he would come running. We all loved Jeremy and it’s so hard to accept that our Jeremy who just turned two years old Jan. 12 was murdered Feb. 8. A boy who was just starting to live his life loses it to gang violence. I know it’s a lot to ask but please anything you can give would be greatly appreciated. Rest in peace, Jeremy," wrote Jacobo Saravia who organized the GoFundMe.

Anyone with information about the identities of the two men considered to be persons of interest can call detectives at 301-516-2512.

Read more:

• 2 Men Sought In Toddler's Fatal Shooting: PG County Police
• GoFundMe Set Up For Fatally Shot 2-Year-Old 'Full Of Joy And Love'
• 2 Suspects Arrested In Toddler's Death In Langley Park: Police
• 3-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot, Mother Injured In Langley Park: Police