Prosecutor will not file charges against officer in fatal shooting of woman, infant

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A police officer who fatally shot a woman and her infant daughter at an apartment complex will not face criminal charges.

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced on Friday evening that her office would not pursue charges following her investigation.

The afternoon of Nov. 7, 2024, officers with the Independence Police Department responded to the Oval Springs Apartments for a physical domestic disturbance. Law enforcement stated they had enough evidence to make an arrest based on injuries suffered by a witness, later determined to be the child’s grandmother.

Family had previously said they thought 34-year-old Maria Pike would be arrested and given help, as she had been diagnosed with postpartum depression. Her daughter, Destinii Hope, was 2 months old.

A mental health responder came to the initial call in an attempt to deescalate the situation involving a woman armed with a knife.

Edited body cam video and information released by the Independence Police Department on Nov. 27, 2024, showed officers went inside the building and were let into the apartment by Destinii’s father. They found Pike inside a bedroom closet, holding Destinii.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The video below is GRAPHIC and contains disturbing images.

They spoke with her for 11 minutes, and she shook her head in response to their questions, although not talking much. Officers tried multiple times to have her put Destinii down, but she refused. Eventually, Pike moved to the bed and sat down.

While holding Destinii, Pike grabbed a large kitchen knife from the nightstand and moved toward an officer. That was the end of the video.

The police officer who fired their weapon, along with two others who responded, was placed on istrative leave. The Independence Police Department told KCTV5 on Friday that three officers are employed with the force but did not clarify if they remained on leave or were reinstated.

“We did not arrive at this decision lightly. The loss of a young mother and her infant are devastating and tragic,” Johnson said in a statement. “However, as prosecutors, we are bound by an oath to apply the law and analyze facts without being guided by the sympathy we feel for all those impacted. Our purpose is to determine if what was done was reasonable, defined by Missouri law, and not whether it was the best course of action.”

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