Mom of slain Compton boy pleads for answers from dad charged with murder

The mother of 9-year-old Princeton Jones, whose father was recently charged with his murder, said she is still struggling to find answers about what led to her son’s death a week ago.

During a news conference outside Compton City Hall early Saturday, the boy’s mother, Creole Green, 31, said she’s received no information from detectives or the boy’s father about what occurred the night her son was killed.

Princeton was fatally shot on the night of Nov. 30 in the backyard of his grandfather’s home in the 1500 block of South Haskins Avenue in Rancho Dominguez, an unincorporated community of Los Angeles County, according to police.

Princeton Jones in an undated family photo. Princeton’s father was recently charged with his murder.

(Green family)

The following day, L.A. County sheriff‘s detectives arrested the boy’s father, Nicholas Thomas Jones, 32, of Compton, in connection with the young boy’s death. The district attorney’s office has charged Jones with one count of murder and one count of willful cruelty to a child causing possible injury or death. Prosecutors also filed sentence enhancements for using a gun while committing a crime and causing harm that resulted in death.

Green’s family members said Jones has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A hearing in the case is scheduled for next month.

Surrounded by family and supporters, Green took deep breaths while she stared down at her white shirt imprinted with a large photo of her smiling son.

Celena Littlefield, a family friend, center, attends a press conference calling for answers about the death of 9-year-old Princeton Jones outside of Compton City Hall on Saturday. Princeton was killed in the backyard of his grandfather’s home in Rancho Dominguez, an unincorporated area of Compton, on Nov. 30.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

“I don’t know what happened, I came to the scene and police told me my baby was gone,” she said. “They said my son is gone. How? Why? What happened? He was with Dad at Grandpa’s house? Was there something exposed that he wasn’t suppose to see? Was someone fighting? Was there an argument?”

News cameras stationed in front of her, Green looked directly at them to address Jones.

“If you see this, if it was an accident, let me know and I’ll stand with you because I couldn’t imagine something like this being in my hands, but I don’t know if you don’t give me nothing,” she said. “I don’t know. I wish someone would give me something. I wish you would just give me a call and just let me know what exactly happened. I don’t want to wait until January to find out what happened to my 9-year-old son.”

Green said she and Jones had conflicts with each other but ultimately came together to co-parent their son.

Creole Green, 31, speaks outside of Compton City Hall on Saturday, calling for answers about her son Princeton Jones’ death.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

“He wasn’t a bad parent, he loved his son — I thought,” she said.

Although Green tried not speak negatively about Jones, she said she had recently filed a restraining order against him and his girlfriend, alluding that the pair often fought in front of Princeton, which she did not want her son witnessing.

“I wanted my son to be given an environment that was positive and nurturing,” she said, “not in a place where there is a lot of confusion.”

She said that she and Jones had been mostly communicating by email and that she had filed for backpay child support.

“The child support wasn’t that much, it was $92 and the most it has been is $172 — let’s be frank, that’s gas money.”

She doesn’t know if any of those issues played a role in her son’s death.

She said if she is able to visit Jones in jail, she would.

“I want him to look me in the eyes and see me,” she said. “He took everything that I had.”

Amid tears, Green spoke fondly about her son and how much he liked collecting rocks.

Creole Green, 31, center, is comforted by loved ones outside of Compton City Hall on Saturday.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

“He wanted to know about the solar system, he wanted to know all things about science, and he knew the dinosaurs’ names,” she said, chuckling. “He knew everything about them and I had to Google about some of the things he spoke about.”

She wiped her tears, laughing.

“He had Mommy Googling stuff,” she said. “I wanted to make sure I could connect with him.”

In April, she said she took him to Hawaii as a surprise.

“He didn’t know or understand until he saw the planes,” she said.

She recalled the moment.

“I see planes, Mom,” she recalled her son telling her.

“We’re going to Hawaii,” she told him.

She said he wanted to pick out a coconut, eat sushi, calamari and King crab legs.

“My son was very special and I’m trying to hold it together,” she said. “He was all I had. How am I suppose to move on from this?”