Man Charged In Fatal Shooting Of 16-Year-Old Pontiac Girl: Sheriff

PONTIAC, MI — A Pontiac man is facing life in prison after police said he fatally shot a 16-year-old girl in October, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Desiree Childs, 16, was walking with a friend near the intersection of Johnson and Menominee in Pontiac on Oct. 28 at 11:22 p.m. when she was shot in the chest, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Childs was taken to a nearby hospital where she died, officials said. Her friend was not injured in the shooting, officials said.

Officials do not believe Childs or her friend were the intended targets, but rather, were mistaken by the shooter as someone else or someone else they were aiming for.

K’Nique Djon Lawrence, 32, was charged with open murder, firearm possession by a felon and two counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was placed in the Oakland County without bail. His next court date is scheduled for Nov. 16.

If convicted of open murder, Lawrence faces up to life in prison.

"I continue to be proud of the great work our whole team is doing to bring a sliver of closure to the family and community in this horrific case," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "Holding the perpetrators accountable is a step in that direction."

Investigators learned Lawrence was staying at a local motel, where they arrested him without incident in connection with the fatal shooting, officials said.

Lawrence was previously convicted in 2010 for two counts of armed robbery and in 2017 for receiving and concealing stolen property.

Another man was arrested in connection to the shooting, though he wasn't formally charged as of Tuesday. Investigators were still working to determine if there are any other suspects in the fatal shooting.

Anyone with information information about the fatal shooting was asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. Tipsters remain anonymous.