ST. LOUIS — An early September deadly shooting in North St. Louis County left a mother without her teenage son only days after she welcomed a pre-mature child into her life.
Felicia Kennell, shared her heartbreaking story with 5 On Your Side.
On September 1, Kennell was at Missouri Baptist Hospital, where she had given birth to her son Mason just days before.
That's when she got a devastating phone call from a friend that her oldest son, Martinez Ursery Jr., had been shot in the head. He was 18.
It happened in the 9400 block of Auburn Drive in North County inside what Kennell said is the home she shares with her son.
Within hours, Kennell received a call from her cousin's girlfriend while she was in the hospital with her 32-week premature son Mason.
She was initially told, "He's been shot in the head by Chris," Kennell said.
"I was like, quit playing, don't do that," Kennell said. "She was like, 'playing?' I'm not playing. It's for real. I immediately was like, I didn't even get a chance to put Mason in my hand. I was like, 'I got to go. I got to leave.'"
Chris, also known as Christopher Webb, is Ursery's cousin. Prosecutors charged him on September 30 with first-degree involuntary manslaughter.
Court documents said 21-year-old Webb shot Ursery in the head after Ursery said the gun was loaded. Kennell said she doesn't know how the gun got into her house in Jennings.
Kennell said Ursery did not even get to meet his baby brother and only saw photos of him.
"He's my oldest son, very frustrating," Kennell said. "He couldn't wait till he came home to meet his brother. I'm mad. I'm pissed."
Mason was born on August 28, 2024. The little boy came home after spending a month in the NICU.
"God took one from me but he blessed me with another one," Kennell said while holding her new son.
Kennell is still grieving after Ursery's dad was also shot and killed back in July 2020.
"I found myself in a hard place with his dad, but now, it's like with my son, he wouldn't want to see me down," Kennell said. "I just want justice for him."
Webb is being held on a $225,000 cash-only bond. Kennell said she wants prosecutors to pursue charges to the fullest because he took away her son, and didn't even reach out to his family after it happened.