As investigation continues in Independence shooting, questions loom over prior concerns for baby’s welfare

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Investigators have released the names of two people who died in an officer involved shooting last week at an apartment in Independence. Maria Pike, 34, and her 2-month-old daughter Destinii Hope died.

While family has questions about how and why Destinii was killed, there are more questions about the system to protect her.

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FOX4 asked Independence police the day of the officer-involved shooting and again Tuesday about any knowledge of Missouri Children's Division open cases involving the family or any police calls to the apartment with mandatory reporting to the social services agency.

FOX4 is also awaiting response from the Missouri's Children's Division. The question remains was the state involved or in the process of trying to remove the baby from that apartment when tragedy unfolded as family contends?

Independence police say they had been called to the same Oval Spring apartment at least once before, where an officer involved shooting happened last week resulting in two deaths, but still haven't said what that call was about.

Destinii Hope's grandfather says his son told him the little girl's mother previously took off with the infant into the woods.

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"She took the baby out and Mitchell was telling me when she did come back she said to him the baby almost got suffocated," Mitchell Holder Sr. said.

Destinii's grandmother says she went to check on her granddaughter last week. While she was there she called police to say she'd been assaulted. She says she was having discussions with Missouri's Children's Division about getting temporary custody because of the parent's alleged mental health issues.

"I would have taken care of that baby until they got the right mindsets for that baby," Destinii's grandmother Talisa Coombs said.

Holder Sr. questions whether the baby should have ever been sent home from the hospital with either of them.

"If they would have checked the background on both of them, I guarantee anybody can pull them up right now and find out they had issues," Holder Sr. said.

FOX4 did find a 2021 court order for Holder Jr. to pay Clay County Foster Care Children's Division child support, for another child Holder Sr. says was removed from the father's care.

He's talked with his son about what happened inside that apartment Thursday, when police say Maria Pike had a knife. According to Holder Sr., the baby's father tells him an officer shot once killing the baby as the mother reached for something on the table and then a second time as Pike tried to get up.

"That's when Mitchell Jr. said he had to back up and get on the floor and have his back toward the officer because he said 'Dad I thought I was next.'" Holder Sr. recounted.

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The Blue Springs Police captain heading the P.I.I.T. investigation says while there's no deadline they hope to turn the findings of their investigation over to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office for review sometime next week.

The Missouri Children's Division has told FOX4 in other situations they don't comment during open investigations, but has yet to respond to inquiries on this matter.