From WUSA9:
The mother of 13-year-old Karon Blake says she thought her son was sleeping when he was shot by a D.C. worker in Northeast.
Londen Blake broke her silence the day after the man accused of killing her son, Jason Michael Lewis, pleaded not guilty. Lewis is facing second degree murder while armed charges for the death of Karon Blake.
“He was the man of the house. That’s who helped me, and he took him from me,” said Blake about the seventh grader, the eldest of her four children.
Blake told reporters she was doing her best as a mother, “Children are children, you know? Some of them grow up too fast. Some of them do things that they are not supposed to do, and some parents are not aware at all times.”
Additional quotes from FOX5:
“What I can say is that Karon came from a good home and I tried my best with him, you know? But Jason Lewis, he had no right. He had no right,” said the 13-year-old’s mother, “It could’ve went a different way.”
Addressing criticisms from the community, Ms. Blake and her attorney also told reporters she thought he was home that morning and did not know he was in fact out. Her attorney said Blake is not an irresponsible parent.
“Everybody is like, ‘what is he doing out a 4 a.m.?’ It’s like, would y’all feel better if it was at 4 p.m.? A crime is a crime. He took my baby. My firstborn. And it’s messed up, but I’ve got to live with that,” Ms. Blake said.