Tonight a teenager's family is fighting to clear their teenage son's name after he was charged with murder.
He's 18-year-old fourth former, Adrian Hernandez, from the Jump Street area who the cops believe killed 61-year-old Emert Flowers on the 27th of December.
Hernandez was denied bail today and remanded to the Kolbe foundation but his mother is still pleading his innocence. She spoke to 7News this morning.
18-year-old high schooler Adrian Hernandez arrived at court this morning as a man accused of murder, and a teenager facing the end of his academic career.
Sherlette Sharon Hernandez, Mother of Adrian Hernandez
"Well, Adrian no even starts life yet because he is still a schoolboy, although he's 18."
Cherisse Halsall
"What form is he in?"
Sherlette Sharon Hernandez, Mother of Adrian Hernandez
"The fourth form, Sadie Vernon."
Cherisse Halsall
"And so the expectation is that he would graduate this year?"
Sherlette Sharon Hernandez, Mother of Adrian Hernandez
"Yes ma'am."
He is charged for killing 61 year old Emert Flowers, who was gunned down on Racecourse street just after Christmas.
The suspect who police were initially looking was his brother, George:
Sherlette Sharon Hernandez, Mother of Adrian Hernandez
"When they came the first time, they never did come for Adrian, they came for my older son George Hernandez and I told them, he doesn't live here, George doesn't live with me because he and I went through a little misunderstanding and I put him out. So, when they grabbed Adrian the day, Adrian was, they took the little boy out of his house again, you know, the little guy, one of his friends had come to hail him because they knew he was sick and one of the same students from Sadie came to hail him, and when the police grabbed Adrian so his dad told the police: You're not taking this child. Who is the right person you are looking for? The policeman said George Hernandez and we said His name is Adrian Hernandez"
Cherisse Halsall
"Is this a case of mistaken identity where they want George and they took Adrian?"
Sherlette Sharon Hernandez, Mother of Adrian Hernandez
"Yes, ma'am, only that I can say."
George Hernandez was released, and now Adrian stands accused, a young man who the family says has Leukemia and who doesn't even cross the bridge to Rocky Road.
His detention has been devastating to his family, especially to his mother.
Hernandez says she's upset with the outcome of the murder charge because she and her family have been cooperating with the police:
Cherisse Halsall
"Talk to me about Adrian, about the type of boy he is and why you know that he didn't do this."
Sherlette Sharon Hernandez, Mother of Adrian Hernandez
"Well, I can swear that he didn't do it because I know he was in the house sick. That's the only thing I can say. He didn't go out, when that shooting only me, my husband, Adrian, and my two grandsons and I walked out on my verandah and I sat down and I told my husband another shooting happened and he said well goal come inside, he said come inside before those guys start running through here and start shooting at the same time Adrian got up and walked behind his father. And that's why he is even crying right now because he knows that that little boy was here."
Notably, Emert Flowers's son Kyle Latchman has been missing since his father's murder.
