Man gets only 19 years fatal stabbing, assault in Wildwood, NJ

A Mercer County man will spend less than 20 years in prison for fatally stabbing a teenager in Wildwood during the summer of 2023.

Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland says DaJohn Taylor of Hightstown was convicted of aggravated manslaughter and aggravated assault in connection to the death of 19-year-old Kaiden Braithwaite and the assault of his cousin, Mikal.

Late last week, Taylor was sentenced to an aggregate term of 19 years in state prison, subject to the No Early Release Act, which means he could be released on parole after about 16 years.

Fatal stabbing in Wildwood, NJ

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on June 11th, 2023.

According to reporting by patch.com, an initial investigation found that a group of people were walking by a home at 307 East Magnolia Ave. at around 2:15 AM when an argument erupted with another group standing on the porch of that residence.

That argument escalated to a physical fight where Taylor stabbed Braithwaite. Kaiden Braithwaite was killed and Mikal suffered permanent nerve damage in the attack.

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Sutherland speaks

Sutherland said in a statement published on Facebook by the Wildwood Police Department,

This sentence holds DaJohn Taylor accountable for the senseless violence that led to Kaiden Braithwaite’s tragic death and the lifelong injuries suffered by Mikal Braithwaite. While no sentence can undo the harm caused, we hope this brings some measure of justice and closure to the Braithwaite family.