In a tragic incident that underscores the dangers of community violence, a Staten Island mother lost her life defending her 12-year-old daughter from a chaotic street altercation involving 20 women and girls. Jennira Roundtree, 43, succumbed to fatal injuries after being stabbed in the heart and lungs and slashed with an umbrella outside her NYCHA residence on Henderson Avenue on January 7.
The altercation reportedly began when a group targeted Roundtree’s young daughter, escalating into a brawl that drew in bystanders and family members. Roundtree intervened to protect her child, but the confrontation turned deadly. Jasmin Thompson, 20, has since been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, and assault. Thompson claims she acted in self-defense during the altercation.
Witness accounts paint a chaotic scene, with neighbors recalling the fight spilling out into the street. A 30-year-old neighbor described running downstairs to intervene only to find Roundtree gravely injured. “I saw her on the ground, bleeding,” the neighbor recounted. “She could barely speak, just saying, ‘I can’t breathe.’” Despite efforts to save her, Roundtree was pronounced dead at Richmond University Medical Center.
Authorities recovered the knife believed to have been used in the attack, and police investigations are ongoing. The incident has sparked renewed concerns about youth violence and community safety in the area. Roundtree, remembered as a devoted mother and advocate for keeping local children off the streets, was described by friends as a beacon of hope in the neighborhood.
“She wanted different for the kids here,” said a friend. “She gave her all to this community and was trying to make a change.” Roundtree’s death has left a void in the lives of those she sought to protect and serve, her final act epitomizing the lengths a mother will go to shield her children.
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