A Maryland Mother Was Fatally Shot While Holding Her Baby. The Suspect is the Baby’s Father

A Maryland mother was tragically shot by her ex-boyfriend, who then turned the gun on himself, according to investigators.

Tequia Nails, 32, was found with gunshot wounds inside her Fairmount Heights, Md., home at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, according to a Prince George’s County Police Department press release. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the announcement.

According to the release, authorities were told about 10 a.m. the next day that 26-year-old Quindell Mercer, Nails’ ex-boyfriend, had been discovered dead in Washington, D.C. Police suspect Mercer shot Nails before departing the scene, and have classified the alleged murder-suicide as a “domestic-related” fatal shooting.

According to her obituary, Nails was remembered as a “devoted mother” to four children: an 8-year-old son, a 3-year-old daughter, and two-month-old twins.

According to WJLA, Mercer was the father of her twins, one of whom she was allegedly cradling when shot. Fox 5 DC also alleged, citing family sources, that Mercer was the twins’ father. Police did not define the relationship between the two children, just noting they “were in a previous relationship.” The announcement did not specify whether anyone else was there at the time of the incident.

According to Fox 5 DC, Mercer opened fire when Nails repeatedly requested him to leave, even though she had previously voiced her desire to end their relationship.

“It’s traumatic,” a neighbor who requested anonymity told WJLA about the incident. “I couldn’t imagine no child growing up like that — like it’s bad you wouldn’t want to see no child grow up like that for a person to be holding her newborn child.”

Similarly, Nails’ family is devastated by the loss.

“We’re falling apart,” her dad told Fox 5 DC. “Everyone can’t believe it.” “This is Kiki.”