Coroner identifies 2-year-old shot to death in Covington; police searching for boy's mother

COVINGTON, Ky. — The Hamilton County Coroner's Office has released the identity of a 2-year-old shot to death in Covington on Monday.

Tuesday morning, the coroner's office identified him as Khalil Adams, listing his circumstances of death as an "apparent homicide."

The Covington Police Department said officers responded to the 2500 block of Warren Street for a report of a 2-year-old shot. First responders took the child to Cincinnati Children's, where he was later pronounced dead.

While the cause of the shooting is unknown at this time, Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders said on social media the child's mother, 23-year-old Selena Farrell, fled the home before police arrived and never went to the hospital.

Sanders said Farrell is wanted for violating probation and police are hoping to speak to her about the child's death. She is not believed to be the shooter.

Farrell's cousin spoke to WCPO off camera, offering a statement that said, "My cousin isn't the monster they are making her out to be. I wish people would let her grieve the loss of her baby! ... When I spoke to her, she was hysterical and just wanted to be able to take care of things with the baby before turning herself in."

Sanders said the father was at the scene when police arrived and is cooperating with their investigation.

Neighbor Dennis Pena nearly broke into tears when told a two-year-old had been shot.

"I have a 2-year-old grandson," he said. "Imagine, the first thing that came to mind was them."

Pena said he was a refugee from Medellin Colombia and had been around far too much violence already.

"To see these things, to know these things and that it has happened in the same building where you live, and, what's more, I don't even want to live here anymore," he said.