Police and mother seek help for 1-year-old shooting victim

Zoey Duncan
Zoey Duncan
photo Zoey Horton

HOW TO HELP

' A link has been set up for monetary donations to help with medical bills and future family needs: www.gofundme.com/jz0fek. ' Donations may be dropped off at the Police Services Center, 3410 Amnicola Highway.

Bianca Horton needs your help.

Horton, the mother of Zoey Horton, a 1-year-old girl struck in the spinal cord by a bullet during a Jan. 7 home invasion that left one dead, asked her community for support. With Zoey fighting in a hospital to regain feeling in the lower half of her body, and Horton no longer working so she can be by Zoey's side as she convalesces, the bills are mounting.

In addition to financial help with medical bills and housing, Horton, a stoic 24-year-old mother of four, said Wednesday that any assistance is helpful.

"Cash, clothing, diapers, things associated with raising a child," she said during a news conference at Chattanooga's Police Services Center. "Any small thing is appreciated."

Lt. Tammy Cook said the Chattanooga Police Department is helping to raise awareness of the situation because of the unusual circumstances of the case.

"This case is special because a lot of the victims we see aren't 1-year-olds," Cook said. "This is as innocent as innocent gets."

Cook said Zoey hasn't shown much movement from the waist down so far in her recovery, and she likely will require costly continued medical care and rehabilitation.

"We're hoping to get a bigger push to support young baby Zoey," Cook said. "She's in for a very long road of recovery."

Horton said some of Zoey's doctors believe that, based on early indicators, it's likely she'll be paralyzed.

Horton disagrees, because doctors also have told her they won't know for sure until up to a year after the trauma, and because she sees the strength in her child's eyes.

"I think she'll get up and walk again," Horton said.

Police have charged Cortez Sims, 17, in the College Hill Courts shooting in which Marcell Christopher, Talitha Bowman, Horton and Zoey were shot. Bowman was pronounced dead on the scene. At Wednesday's news conference, Cook, police Chief Fred Fletcher and Horton all said they still don't know the motivation for the crime.

Sims was arrested Jan. 9 in Knoxville.

Fletcher said that, while this case resonated within the department because of its particularly "heinous acts of violence," the department is doing what it typically does to support people in the community affected by violence.

"Like other cases before it, we're trying to support families in the aftermath of violence," Fletcher said. "When anyone in our community is hurt, we're all hurt."

Horton said Zoey's condition is improving. She said she's starting to look like herself again, and she's trying to talk through her breathing tube. Horton said she no longer holds anger toward Sims, because she knows it's a waste of her energy.

"I'm going to stay strong for my children," Horton said.

Horton said this experience has opened her eyes to the violence in her community, but most of all it's opened her eyes to the challenges of parenting.

While Horton isn't sure she can meet the challenges she's been handed, she looks at her baby daughter and her strength is renewed, she said.

Contact Will Healey at whealey@timesfreepress.com, at 423-757-6731 or on Twitter at @wfhealey.

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