Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) – A 5-year-old girl could face murder charges in the recent drowning of a toddler in a bathtub, police said on Thursday.

Kansas City police are waiting for a medical examiner's report on how Jermane Johnson Jr., died, but have investigated the death as a homicide, spokesman Darin Snapp said Thursday.

"I've been in law enforcement for 20 years and it's the youngest suspect I can remember," Snapp said. "It's extremely rare."

Johnson, 18 months old, was in a Kansas City house on June 3rd with other children, but the 16-year-old girl who was supposed to be looking after them fell asleep, Snapp said.

Investigators learned through interviews that a 5-year-old girl in the house got irritated at the boy, Snapp said.

"She said she got angry because he would not stop crying and she held him under the water until he stopped crying," Snapp said.

Snapp said a decision on to handle the case will be left up to prosecutors after the medical examiner's report is released.

(Editing by James B. Kelleher and Peter Bohan)


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110609/...pphu-container

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

A five year old? This is disturbing that one a child would be charged with this, and also because of the nature of the crime. What about holding the baby sitter somewhat responsible, although I don't see charging any of them with murder. I would say an accident, but not murder. Hum...interested to hear the dialogue on this.

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

That's ridiculous. A 5 y/o barely has the cognitive ability to understand that death is permanent. The person to blame is the person who left the 5 y/o unsupervised with an 18 month old.

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

Absolutely. The babysitter should be the one held responsible.

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

Oh, my bad. They should prosecute the PARENT[S]--the 16 year old babysitter was mentally handicapped. :blink


"...The incident happened Friday, June 3 just before midnight. According to Darin Snapp with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, a mentally handicapped 16-year-old was babysitting the children, but was sleeping at the time of the drowning."

--Article

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

The 16 year old? I hardly think that this would constitute a murder charge.

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

A lot of questions. Where were the parents, who filled the tub? How did a 5 year old put an 18 month old in a tub? Sounds like learned behavior.

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

I disagree.

The 16 year old fell asleep.

If there was a known risk of this 5 year old killing the 18 month old, then the parents would never have left the life of their 18 month old in the hands of a 16 year old.



This is one of those cases where I truly believe that there isn't a human being that can be held responsible for this tragedy.

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

In my mind, I am certain that the parents are not responsible for this tragedy.

It's impossible for a human being to, "see this coming...."

Re: Five Year Old / Murder Charge
 

Who puts their children in the care of a mentally handicapped person???? Most certainly they should be prosecuted for criminal neglect, at the very least.