Robert Sandifer
| Robert Sandifer | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
March 12, 1983 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | September 1, 1994 (aged 11) Roseland, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Murder |
| Other names | Yummy |
| Occupation | Street gang member (Black Disciples) |
| Criminal charge | Murder, arson, armed robbery, drug possession |
| Criminal penalty | Probation |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Parent(s) | Lorina Sandifer Robert Akins |
Robert "Yummy" Sandifer (March 12, 1983 — September 1, 1994) was an American street gang member from Chicago, Illinois. Sandifer's murder by fellow gang members in Chicago garnered national attention, resulting in him appearing on the cover of TIME magazine in September 1994. Nicknamed Yummy because of his love of cookies, standing 4 ft 6 in (137 cm) Sandifer was a young member of the street gang the Black Disciples (BD). After committing murder, arson and armed robbery, he was murdered by his own fellow gang members who feared he could become an informant, and that he was attracting too much attention towards their activities. Coverage of Sandifer's death and retrospectives on his short, violent life were widely published in the American media. Sandifer became a symbol of the gang problem in American inner cities, the failure of social safety nets, and the shortcomings of the juvenile justice system.
Robert Sandifer was born on March 12, 1983. Sandifer's mother, Lorina Sandifer, had over 30 arrests while prostituting, many of which were drug related. Sandifer's father, Robert Akins, was absent for all of Sandifer's life due to incarceration for a felony gun charge. Sandifer was in danger, according to child welfare authorities, severely mistreated and neglected. Before he was 3, Sandifer was already known to Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Physical examinations showed that Sandifer was alleged to have had cigarette burns on his arms and neck as well as linear bruising consistent with physical beatings. Lorina initially blamed the abuse on Sandifer's father until officials learned he was not involved in Robert's life. In 1986, Sandifer and his siblings were removed from his mother's home by DCFS and were sent to live with their grandmother. His grandmother's residence contained as many as 19 children on some occasions. By most accounts, his grandmother's home was not much better than Sandifer's previous home. Sandifer, by the age of 8, quit attending school and began to roam the streets stealing cars and breaking into houses. In 1993, Sandifer and his siblings were removed from his grandmother's home and were sent to the Lawrence Hall DCFS shelter on Chicago's north side, from which Sandifer ran away and never returned. From 1993 until his death, Sandifer's whereabouts and living arrangements remain unclear, although he continued to be arrested by the authorities.
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