
12-year-old Vanessa Nunez stands in kitchen on the spot where her father laid dying, her brother next to him less than 24 hours ago.
?Police came when they were dead already. My brother was right there. My dad dead right here,? said 12-year-old Vanessa Nunez, as she stood in the kitchen on the spot where her father and and brother died less 24 hours earlier.
Vanessa's family had come to Atlanta from Honduras eight years ago. Her mom ran a small side business of homemade snacks from inside their apartment for years.
Vanessa says her 14-year-old brother, Dason Nunez, was always helping, and Saturday night, opened the door to two customers they had seen before.
?They were two guys. They were young. My brother says he knows, he saw them,? said Vanessa.
The Sequoia Middle Schooler says two men started a fight and pulled out a gun with Dason and her 54-year-old father Jose Nunez at kitchen door.
?The robbers tried to shoot my mom, and my dad was like 'don't do nothin? to her. Don't do nothin? to her.' So, they didn't do nothin? to my mom and she ran into the room and called the police,? said Vanessa.
Vanessa says by then, there was gunfire.
Her 4-year-old sister crawled underneath a desk, barely escaping the crossfire.
When it stopped, Vanessa says her mom found her family massacred on the kitchen floor.
?When she came back she saw my dad and my brother on the floor. My dad got shot five times in the stomach, and my brother one time right here,? said Vanessa, pointing to the lower right side of her neck. ?And my brother he was still alive and he was telling my mom he didn't want to die, he didn't want to die. He was still alive. So, my brother died. The police didn't come in time.?
A 40-year-old family friend, who was also inside was also injured. He is in critical condition at Grady Memorial Hospital.
DeKalb police say robbery was the motive and are still searching for the two suspects.

Updated 12/31/2007 9:01:14 AM









