2nd murder count for death of prematurely born girl whose mother was shot in Minneapolis

A prematurely born girl whose mother was shot and killed last month in Minneapolis has also died, authorities said Wednesday.

The death of 4-week-old Leneesha LaDell Columbus came exactly one month after her mother, Leneesha H. Columbus, 27, was shot while sitting in an SUV near the memorial to George Floyd, who died on May 25 while being detained by police.

Baby Leneesha was born roughly three months premature at less than 2 pounds, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said in charges against the infant's father, Zachary Robinson, 27, of Minneapolis.

Columbus' mother, Ladell Turnipseed, said on Facebook that "my baby girl was taken from me on the 5th of July, and her baby went home to her on the 5th of August. I will never be the same person again."

Now that the newborn has died, prosecutors Thursday added another second-degree murder count against Robinson to go along with the earlier charges in connection with the shooting of Columbus during an argument July 5. Robinson remains jailed in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

Paramedics took Columbus to HCMC, where the Minneapolis woman gave birth that night before dying from a gunshot to her upper torso, the charges filed on July 8 noted.

An amended complaint filed July 23 revealed that the newborn, Columbus' third child, suffered from hypotension, neonatal seizures, neonatal jaundice and respiratory distress. The infant's death brings the city's homicide tally this year to 43.

A man who had been "working in a peacekeeping role" at the memorial to Floyd confronted Robinson about shooting the woman, the complaint said. Robinson then shot the man in the right foot, the charges noted.

Robinson has a long and violent criminal history in Hennepin County that dates back at least to when he was 15 years old. He's been convicted on five counts of assault in connection with two cases, and he has cases pending on other assault and firearms possession charges in the county.

In addition, prosecutors charged Robinson with first-degree riot for his role in a June 14 gun battle in north Minneapolis during which one man was fatally shot in the head.

The conflict began at Broadway Pub & Grille, and the gunfire erupted soon afterward, with most shots fired outside the 4th Street Saloon two blocks west of Broadway Pub.