An 11-year-old boy from upstate New York made a heartbreaking phone call to his mother just moments before he died—allegedly at the hands of his own father.
David Huff, 43, of Syracuse, is accused of fatally shooting his son, Jeremiah Huff, along with his girlfriend, 32-year-old Yeraldith Tschudy, on March 17. Authorities have charged him with first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon, according to court documents.
Police rushed to a home on Roney Road around 9:30 p.m. that night, where they discovered Jeremiah and Tschudy had both been shot. Sadly, neither survived.
For Jeremiah’s mother, Samantha Gallup-Peltier, the pain is unimaginable. She was on the phone with her son after he was shot, listening helplessly as he took his last breaths. Speaking to reporters after Huff’s court appearance, she described the unbearable loss, saying, “We will miss him every day. My life is empty.”
Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick called the tragedy unthinkable. “It’s one thing to get a phone call telling you your child has died. But to be on the phone while it happens? She’ll never get over that,” he said.
After a countywide search, police tracked Huff down about two miles from the crime scene and took him into custody. He remains at the Onondaga County Justice Center, awaiting further legal proceedings.
In the wake of the tragedy, friends and coworkers of Gallup-Peltier launched a GoFundMe campaign to support her. The fundraiser has already collected over $35,000, nearing its $40,000 goal. Organizer Maria Giannino wrote, “This is an unthinkable loss. We want to come together and help in any way we can.”
Despite her grief, Gallup-Peltier is determined to keep her son’s memory alive. “He had so many friends, so many people who loved him,” she said. “Please don’t stop saying his name. It’s Jeremiah. Jeremiah Huff.”
