When authorities arrived at the home of Brook Park resident Sarah Smith-Carter on January 8, 2022, they found the young mother distraught. Her nine-month-old baby Alice had been fatally wounded, shot to death by her own father, Martin Porter.
After months of harassment, Martin entered the home that Sarah shared with her children. Once inside, he demanded to see his daughter. Then, he shot Sarah in the leg before fatally shooting 9-month-old Alice and finally turned the gun on himself.
Sarah’s other child, Sienna, as well as two other children, were unharmed as they hid under the bed during the encounter.
According to reports, Carter and Porter had been in a tumultuous relationship, with Carter breaking things off the previous year. Carter had begun fearing for her safety after Porter began having loud outbursts, especially when they argued and she officially ended things after a domestic dispute while she was pregnant with Alice.
In the months following their split, Porter allegedly harassed Carter relentlessly, leading her to file several complaints with the Brook Park police. The released records show that Carter had contacted authorities four separate times between August 2021 and January 8, 2022, seeking help with Porter’s unrelenting pursuit.
