A West Palm Beach teenager has been taken into custody on charges of manslaughter and tampering with evidence, stemming from a fatal shooting incident that occurred last fall. According to the West Palm Beach Police Department, a 911 call was placed on September 16, 2024, reporting that a friend had been shot near Parker Avenue and was in need of urgent medical attention. The victim, identified as 19-year-old Christian Taveras Jr., was subsequently found in a car that was disabled following an accident on Interstate 95, as reported by CBS12.

Following the crash near Lantana Road, law enforcement officials, including the Florida Highway Patrol and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, responded to the scene where Taveras was found unresponsive. Despite being taken to Delray Medical Center, Taveras succumbed to his injuries, as detailed by WPBF. In the car, an 18-year-old and two 16-year-olds gave conflicting statements to police, with all denying involvement in the shooting.

An extensive investigation by the West Palm Beach Police uncovered that one of the 16-year-olds had accidentally fired the gun that killed Taveras. In an act to cover up the incident, the teenager disposed of the weapon along I-95. Subsequently, a judge issued an arrest warrant for the teen, who was then arrested at their home without incident, per information by CBS12.

The loss of Taveras has left his family grappling with grief and seeking justice, which they are finally beginning to find five months after the tragic event. "He took my baby away. I'll be suffering forever until I see him again," Taveras' mother, Kathy Maldonado, expressed in a statement obtained by CBS12. Calling for responsible gun ownership, Maldonado urged, "They're not toys. These kids think they're cool. If they have one, they should be adults, and have a safe. Put it away." Taveras, who attended Palm Beach State College with aspirations to become a mechanic, had his future abruptly cut short by a preventable tragedy.