Case strengthens my resolve to be better neighbor
After news spread of the boy’s death last fall, his house was boarded up and spray painted with sayings like, “Jacarie will not be forgotten” and “We miss you.”
The home has since been repainted, the boards have come off the windows and the man authorities believe is responsible for his death is finally in custody. Romuan J. Moye, 45, who had been on the run since his son’s badly decomposed body was discovered in a home in October, was captured Sunday after a tip to police led them to Moye’s location, which was only five miles from where the boy was found.
Jacarie Robinson, 12, whose severely malnourished body was found under a blanket on the floor in the single-family home near 39th and Elmhurst, weighed only 54 pounds. Moye faces five felony charges, including first-degree reckless homicide.
This story hit me hard because it was just a half-block away from my house. While crime can happen anywhere, at any time, it’s still shocking when something like this happens so close to you. I will never look at that house the same again, but that will not stop me from being a good neighbor.
Criminal complaint alleges Jacarie lived in a house of horrors
I’ve lived in my house for 47 years. It’s my parents’ first home, and although my parents have both passed, I have followed in their footsteps and look out for many of my neighbors.
While I know most of the kids on my block, I never got to know Jacarie or his sisters. I never saw Jacarie, but I have seen his sisters dancing outside or walking around the block.
This case shows us that we must be even more aware of our surroundings. Maybe if I had got to know his sisters, they could have told me about the abuse authorities allege was going on inside the home.
Judging by the details of the criminal complaint and accounts from neighbors, Jacarie lived in a house of horrors. There was mold throughout the home, even in the refrigerator. The toilet wasn’t working, and bottles of urine were found throughout the house.
Neighbors said Moye was standoffish and didn’t speak except when angry. One neighbor told me Moye told him never to talk to his daughters after the man said hello when he saw them playing outside.
Jacarie’s family was large and split up. The boy lived with his father and two teenage sisters; he hadn’t seen his mother and grandmother for years. Moye homeschooled Jacarie and kept him isolated from others. His sisters told police that Moye could be “harsh” and violent while punishing Jacarie for things like “stealing food.”
Weeks before Jacarie’s body was found, Moye sent his sisters to stay with their mother.
Concern among Jacarie’s family mounted in early October after nobody had seen the boy for some time, and Moye stopped returning text messages. A family member went to the house, broke inside, and discovered the boy on the floor.
Justice for Jacarie? One lesson is to know your neighbors.
For some, Jacarie’s case may simply be another tragic headline, but for me it’s much more. His death and the circumstances rocked my Lincoln Creek neighborhood.
One way we can keep Jacarie’s memory alive is by striving to be good neighbors. Speak to your neighbors. Get to know their names. Find out where their children go to school.
Form a block watch. A neighborhood cleanup. A barbecue.
These are the ingredients for a strong community, and also ways to keep our children and family safe.
Reach James E. Causey at jcausey @jrn.com; follow him on X@jecausey.