A 29-year-old Philadelphia man faces multiple felony charges following the fatal shooting of his teenage girlfriend, who was pregnant with her second child at the time of her death.
Robert Tatum was arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter, possession of an instrument of crime, and recklessly endangering another person in connection with the March 9 slaying of Lemmarra Bradshaw, 18. The incident has ignited a conversation regarding domestic violence patterns, as Bradshaw’s family alleges a history of systemic abuse preceding the fatal encounter.
The Fatal Confrontation
According to preliminary reports from the Philadelphia Police Department and court records, the shooting occurred during a domestic dispute. Tatum reportedly claimed to investigators that Bradshaw “came at him with a knife and a screwdriver,” suggesting a self-defense motive.
However, the victim’s family provides a different context to the relationship. Speaking to local outlets, Bradshaw’s aunt alleged that Tatum exhibited a pattern of “jealous rage” and manipulation. Family members claim that just two weeks prior to the shooting, Tatum had physically assaulted the teenager.
The specific catalyst for the March 9 argument remains under investigation. While some reports indicate the pair fought over a hamster belonging to Bradshaw’s 4-year-old daughter, her aunt told 6 ABC Philadelphia that the dispute actually centered on allegations of Tatum’s infidelity.
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Legal Proceedings and Charges
Tatum appeared in court for a preliminary arraignment on Wednesday, March 11. He remains in custody as the legal process unfolds.
Under Pennsylvania law, voluntary manslaughter is a first-degree felony, typically applied when a killing occurs in the “heat of passion” or under an unreasonable belief that self-defense was necessary.
Key Court Dates:
- Initial Arraignment: March 11, 2026
- Preliminary Hearing: Scheduled for March 30, 2026
The Philadelphia Police Department has not yet released further details regarding the forensic evidence at the scene or whether the weapons Tatum described were recovered.
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A Family in Mourning
The tragedy has left a 4-year-old girl without a mother and a family grieving the loss of two lives. Bradshaw was in the second trimester of her pregnancy.
“I feel like I didn’t protect her enough to let this man kill my daughter,” Bradshaw’s mother, Michelle Adekola, said in a statement to the media. “It makes me feel broken inside.”
The family has established a GoFundMe page to assist with funeral expenses and support for Bradshaw’s surviving daughter. In a statement on the page, the family described the loss of both Lemmarra and her unborn baby as an “unimaginable void” that has devastated the local community.
