Our story...
So loved by his family, baby Justice was a delight with his deep blue eyes and hearty laugh. He loved playing peekaboo and had a favorite stuffed bear. But his family only had that joy that was Justice for a matter of months before he was taken away from them forever. At four months old, Justice was found in his crib unresponsive. After rushing him to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, he was put on life support and then died. His mother’s boyfriend at the time who was not Justice’s father, was later convicted of Justice’s murder.
But the family despite their devastating grief was determined to do something good in honor of baby Justice and his memory. For years the whole family worked desperately to change Maryland’s law to increase the maximum sentence for the conviction of child abuse leading to death. Justice’s Law, which was passed in 2016 and was part of a criminal justice reform bill, increased the law to 40 years to life.
The family’s efforts did not stop there, though. Each spring area bands come together to celebrate Justice’s life and raise funds. The decade-long running benefit, Rock Me Don’t Shake Me – Musicians Against Child Abuse, has seen attendance and donations grow year after year. Through the event money and items are donated to such organizations as Washington County Child Advocacy Center’s Safe Place, Citizens Assisting and Sheltering the Abused and nearby chapters of Bikers Against Child Abuse and women’s and children’s services at Meritus Medical Center.
Justice was on this earth for only four months. But his short life has made a lasting impact on countless others in many ways.
“He is always with us”’ says Nink Myers, Justice’s grandfather.