Murder charges filed against trio in death of two-year-old shot in head

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The Wayne County prosecutor's office has amended charges against three men for the shooting death of a two-year-old girl last week.

The Wayne County prosecutor has charged 21-year-old Deonta Bennett, 30-year-old Cleveland Smelley, and 32-year-old Antoine Smelley with seven counts of assault with intent to murder and one count each of first degree murder. All three are also charged with felony firearm charges and Antoine Smelley received two counts of felonious assault.

The charges come after 2-year-old Makanzee Oldham was shot last Wednesday while sitting in the car with her father on Detroit's east side.

According to witnesses, Antoine Smelley was at a home in the 16400 block of Fairmount when he poured juice over the head of a woman as she was was getting ready to leave the house to go to prom. The prosecutor says he pulled a gun and threatened the woman and her friends.

Cleveland and Bennett then pulled up to the house and met with Antoine, officials say. The three then got into a fight with several people and it's believed Bennett gave Cleveland the gun that was used in the shooting.

The Wayne County Prosecutor said Cleveland then shot at seven people in the car, hitting Makenzee in the head. She died at the hospital on Saturday.

"It's never the one they're going after," her great aunt Cherly Jenkins said. "It's always the innocent child."

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to raise funds for funeral costs.

All three suspects will be arraigned on first degree murder charges on June 9.