Carl David Richardson Foundation

About Carl

Carl David Richardson was born to Johann Richardson and Carl Richardson on August 19, 1994. Carl graduated from St. Johns Prep High School in Astoria, Queens on June 2, 2012. Since January 2013, Carl was enrolled at Nassau Community College where he was studying liberal arts. During the same period he worked at H&M in Sunrise Mall in Queens. Carl’s dream was to be an occupational therapist and he recently began volunteering at PS 46 in Bayside, Queens. Carl was an inspiring young man who really wanted to help others, especially children.

A grieving Queens dad can’t understand why his son, or the young man’s accused killer didn’t walk away from a deadly fight over headphones. Queens barber Cedric Simpson 34, allegedly plunged his shears into Carl Richardson 19 chest, at the Select Stylez Barbershop in Laurelton around 2 p.m Thursday March 27, 2014. Richardson had sold Simpson two pair headphones for $80, but the barber refused to pay the young man; family members said. The heartbroken dad, also named Carl Richardson, said both his son and the barber had ample opportunities to de-escalate the fight. It’s just so senseless that people lose their lives over such meaningless

things. He [the barber] could’ve just walked away,” the elder Carl Richardson told The Post. “The man refused to pay him the money. He [the younger Carl Richardson] could’ve said, ‘Dad, the man refused to pay me the money.’ I’d say, ‘Listen, just chalk it up the experience, and walk away.’ I’d say, `I’ll give you the money, whatever, just walk away. The grieving dad added" Now I’m faced with burying my son, It’s not something I ever thought about doing.”The younger Carl Richardson, who was a regular customer at Select Stylez, went to the barbershop on Wednesday and sold Simpson two Bluetooth headphone set's, Simpson told Richardson to come back later to collect the money. When the young man returned on Thursday, Simpson refused to either give him the money or return the headphones, according to Richardson’s family. A scuffle broke out, and Richardson was stabbed twice in the chest and once in the neck and once in the back, family members said. “It should’ve been over, and then he grabbed the shears and stabbed Carl to death,” said the victim’s sister, Sherina Peredaviz.“I just can’t believe it. All he wanted was to get paid what was owed him.”The victim was selling headphones to raise money for a car.The dad, an MTA conductor, was matching every dollar his son earned. They had planned to attend an April 1 car auction to buy him new wheels.The elder Carl Richardson said he can’t believe he lost his son over headphones.“Not something so petty and trivial. This was what it was all about,” the dad said, holding a pair of headphones.“My son lost his life over these Chinese made headphones. Carl was my heart, the full brunt of this hasn’t hit me yet.”Richardson was rushed to Franklin General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.“He was a lovely boy,” said the victim’s mother, Johann Richardson. “I’m not just saying that because he was my son.”The barber claimed that Richardson darted into the shop and threatened him, a source said Simpson was charged with murder.“I’m numb,” the elder Carl Richardson said. “I can’t believe it was over headphones.”

Carl Richardson's Funeral was held on April 3, 2014 at J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home
located in Queens, New York