Manchester Square: Christian Dixon, 5

Christian Dixon, a 5-year-old black child, was shot and killed by his mother on Saturday, Oct. 17, in the 7200 block of South Gramercy Place in Manchester Square, authorities said.

The Times' Tami Abdollah has the full story: South L.A. woman allegedly shoots 2 sons

 The following is an excerpt:

A young mother who allegedly shot her two boys Saturday -- killing her 5-year-old and critically wounding her 1 1/2 -year-old -- shouted, "I've wasted my life!" from her balcony and threatened to kill herself before she was arrested, police and neighbors said.

LaTonya Dixon, 25, called 911 about 8:30 a.m. Saturday and told the dispatcher that she had killed her children. When officers arrived at the three-unit apartment complex in the 7200 block of South Gramercy Place in South Los Angeles, the woman was standing on a second-floor balcony waving a handgun.

After hearing a woman scream, next-door neighbor Sandra Jones said, she saw Dixon on the balcony rail and yelled out, "No, don't jump! You have [the elder son] and the baby to think about! They're going to need you."

As officers arrived at the beige stucco apartment, Dixon told police to shoot her. She was walking in and out of her apartment with a handgun, police said. Officers ordered her numerous times to drop the gun, but she refused, police said.

Follow The Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Photo: Ben Dixon, brother of the woman who allegedly shot her two children, speaks with police near the apartment where the shooting took place. Credit: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[missing linq]

my prayers to the family,what a sad tragety.one cant even imagine what she was going through.poor babies they surely did not deserve this.im really at a lost on this story .many questions and no answers.....very sad.

[SOME]

WE ALL KNOW THIS WOMAN IS GOING TO PLEA NOT GULTY.LIKE THE REST OF THESE PEOPLE WHO KILL THERE FAMILY MEMBERS. SHE MUST HAVE BEEN MAD AT THE ''BABY;S DADDY'' AN SHE TOOK IT OUT ON THESE POOR LITTLE INOCENT BABYS. EVERYBODY IS PLAYING CRAZY NOW WHEN THEY WONT TO 86 A FAMILY MEMBER.OH BUT I CANT UNDERSTAND THEY NEVER KILL THEM SELFS. COME ON NOW ANY BODY CAN SEE THRU THAT. WHO GAVE HER THE RIGHT TO TAKE A LIFE WHY DIDENT SHE SHOOT HER SELF? IF SHE WONTED TO DIE SHE WOULD HAD KILLED HER SELF OR EATHER POINTED THE GUN AT THE POLICE THEY WOULD HAD KILLED HER.

[sheba]

I agree, she must have been mad with the babies daddy or thought or felt like her freedom was gone with 2 children, but look she is right about one thing her actions have guarenteed that her life is now truly over in the sense of the word. Dont murder your children. If you have dont want your precious children be a woman about it and put them in the hands of someone that you know will be loving and caring for them. God is not please with the state of this world as it stands.

[Lameka Young]

Ive known Latonya for a few years now. From knowing her threw an aquaintance I know that she have a mental problem. Latonya felt that she needed her medication,she did reach out to a couple of people she felt close to, but unfortunatley they didnt assist her, and now we have a baby resting and one in critical condition. May JEHOVAH GOD BE WITH HER .

[Rick]

If it is found out that she shot her children because she was mad at the babies father or father's then she should get the death sentence. The kids are innocent, she and whoever she slept with made the decision to have unprotected sex. If she didn't want these kids anymore, she should have turned them over for adoption. She reserved herself a place in hell for what she has done.

[Mizzmax19]

The other son was taken off life support this week. They are trying to have a car wash fundraiser to get money to bury both of the children. May God rest their souls....

[a grieveing mom forever]

wow i hope this mother gets the help she needs because it is too late for the kids and it is sad they had to die like this somebody had to know she was insane and i think her family knew she was ill just pray for her soul and in prison she will really be in hell they dont like baby killers there so she will suffer truly, god rest the kids soul