Homicide investigation underway after 12-year-old boy found dead on Milwaukee's northwest side
Updated: 5:54 p.m. on Oct. 11, 2023
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office says the death of a 12-year-old boy is now being investigated as a homicide.
Family identified the child Wednesday as Jacarie Robinson.
Robinson's family and friends held a vigil for him Tuesday night after his decomposed body was found in a home near 39th and Elmhurst.
Jacarie is one of 10 siblings. His brothers and sisters are still stunned by what they heard.
They said the boy was living with his father, but they had not seen him in at least a year.
Jordan Robinson, Jacarie's older brother, said, "I feel like I was stunned a little bit. You think everything's been good this whole time. So I would definitely say stunned, for me."
Robinson's family was grief stricken Wednesday outside the house where the boy's body was found.
With 10 siblings in different homes, it was sometimes difficult to stay in touch, but Jacarie's family still could not believe he was gone.
Jordan Robinson told us, "To my knowledge, my mom said everything was good. We always asked about him, of course. But to my knowledge everything was good in our books."
Milwaukee Police were called to the home Tuesday night. One hour after they arrived, the boy was pronounced dead.
But his body was so badly malnourished and decomposed that, at first, the Medical Examiner's office was unable to positively identify it.
Another brother had gone to the home Tuesday after police were called.
"We will never get to see our brother no more. My brother, for him to go see that scene, imagine what he's going through," said Jordan Robinson.
The death was first ruled suspicious, now it's being investigated as a homicide.
One day later, all the windows and doors were boarded up with plywood.
Jacarie's brother said the boy lived with his father, but MPD made no mention of anyone connected to the death, despite the homicide investigation.
Jordan Robinson said, "The question has always been there. Where he's been and hoping to get him over there and see him, because we missed him."
Neighbors near the home did not want to speak on camera. One of them only said they didn't know the people who lived here.
For now, while they await answers, Jacarie's family is trying to focus on what made him special.
"His smile. Everything about him. He'd come light up a whole room. You'd feel loved by him. He was a good kid," said Jordan Robinson
MPD did not respond to questions about Jacarie's father or any other person of interest in this case.
On Tuesday the Medical Examiner's office conducted an autopsy, but the cause of death was not released.
Published: 9:24 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2023
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee police are investigating the "suspicious death" of an 11-year-old child Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Police say they responded to the area near 38th and Elmhurst - a couple blocks north of Capitol Drive - around 6:10 p.m. The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS.
This is a developing story. Stick with CBS 58 for updates on-air and online.