A grieving mother in West Palm Beach is trying to find some sense of peace after her 19-year-old son, Christian Tavares, was tragically shot and killed in September.
West Palm Beach police say it all happened on the night of September 16, 2024. Christian was hanging out with his 16-year-old friend when, according to investigators, the friend accidentally fired a gun, hitting him. In a panic, the group tried to rush Christian to the hospital. While speeding down I-95, the 16-year-old allegedly threw the gun out of the car before they got into a crash near Lantana Road.
Months later, police have arrested the 16-year-old, charging him with manslaughter and tampering with evidence. For Christian’s family, the arrest brings some relief, but the pain of losing him will never go away.
“No,” Christian’s mother, Kathy Maldonado, said when asked if she feels any closure. “I’m never gonna have him again. He’s gone.”
Despite their grief, the family is thankful that the investigation is over. “Finally,” Maldonado said. “Thank you to the West Palm Beach police that helped.” Another family member added, “They worked really hard on the case, and we appreciate everything.”
Christian’s death was a heartbreaking accident that happened just weeks before he was set to graduate from college. His dream was to become a mechanic.
“He wasn’t a street kid,” his mother said. “He was always home. He was a gamer. He just went out that night because his friend called him to see the new car they bought. And he never came back.”
Now, through her unimaginable pain, Maldonado hopes that other families can learn from this tragedy.
“Kids think guns are cool,” she said. “They go buy one just to have it, and look what happens. Parents need to talk to their kids about gun awareness.”
Because the suspect is underage, authorities have not released his name.
