Crime
Mother and Uncle Charged in Connection with Death of 6-Year-Old Daquell Collins in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Two individuals have been criminally charged in connection with the tragic shooting death of 6-year-old Daquell Collins, affectionately known as “King.”
The incident occurred on the evening of April 1, 2025, inside a residence near 51st and Hope Avenue in Milwaukee.
According to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, 21-year-old Quintell Collins, the child’s uncle, has been charged with second-degree reckless homicide, among other serious offenses.
The child’s mother, Daquela Collins, faces charges including child neglect resulting in death and straw purchasing of a firearm.
Milwaukee police and emergency medical services responded to a 911 call made by the boy’s grandmother shortly before 9:30 p.m.
The grandmother told dispatchers, “I think my grandson shot himself.” First responders attempted life-saving measures, but Daquell was pronounced dead at the scene.
Surveillance footage obtained from a neighboring residence captured two men fleeing the home moments after the shooting. Sirens can be heard in the footage as police units arrived.
One of the men was seen concealing an object under a garbage can in a nearby alley, which was later identified by police as a loaded 9mm handgun.
During the investigation, Daquela Collins told detectives that earlier that day she had received an Instagram video from her brother, Quintell Collins, while she was at her boyfriend’s house.
The video showed Quintell rapping and displaying two firearms with 6-year-old Daquell visible in the background, lying on a couch. Daquela admitted that one of the firearms belonged to her and that she told her brother via message to put it down.
She further acknowledged knowing that Quintell, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms, and that she had seen him carry a gun on a daily basis.
Despite this, she did not leave her boyfriend’s house or take any steps to ensure her son’s safety.
Following the incident, authorities tracked Quintell Collins to a residence near 38th and Glendale on April 3. When officers approached, he fled in a black Jeep with no license plates, leading police on a dangerous high-speed chase spanning nearly four miles.
During the pursuit, he allegedly ran multiple red lights and stop signs, drove into oncoming traffic, and even drove onto a sidewalk.
At one point, Quintell circled back through the same neighborhood, where he reportedly threw money out of the vehicle’s window to a group of people who appeared to be cheering him on.
The chase ended after officers deployed stop sticks near 36th and 37th Streets, successfully disabling the vehicle. Quintell was taken into custody without further incident.
During a subsequent interview on April 4, Quintell reportedly provided multiple false statements to investigators, including claiming there were no firearms present in the home the night Daquell was shot.
This was contradicted by the Instagram video and witness testimony, including admissions from his grandmother.
Authorities noted that Quintell showed no remorse during the interview for the death of his nephew.
Quintell Collins has been charged with the following offenses.
He is considered a habitual criminal repeater and is being held on a $100,000 bond:
- Second-degree reckless homicide
- Child neglect resulting in death (as party to a crime)
- Possession of a firearm by a felon (two counts)
- Second-degree recklessly endangering safety
- Fleeing or eluding a police officer
- Obstructing an officer
Daquela Collins faces the following charges and is being held on a $10,000 bond:
- Child neglect resulting in death (as party to a crime)
- Straw purchase of a firearm
This case remains under active investigation by the Milwaukee Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities have not ruled out additional charges as they continue to review evidence and witness statements.
The tragic death of Daquell Collins has deeply affected the local community, with many mourning the loss of a young life that could have been prevented.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.