12 Year Old Charged with Beating 17 Month Old

[Sumanadevii]

A 12 year old is charged with the beating death of a l7 month old. He had been babysitting both a ten year old and the baby. He became angry with the baby began to cry while he was trying to watch tv.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=137883&provider=top

[Claudia]

A 12 year old is charged with the beating death of a l7 month old. He had been babysitting both a ten year old and the baby. He became angry with the baby began to cry while he was trying to watch tv.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=137883&provider=top




:1187603408.CR.Mothe

[Roamer]

How sad. For that poor little baby. :1222423:

This boy was clearly too immature to be baby sitting.

[KittyMom]

I don't know what to even think.

[PatC]

A 12 year old is charged with the beating death of a l7 month old. He had been babysitting both a ten year old and the baby. He became angry with the baby began to cry while he was trying to watch tv.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=137883&provider=top

How horrible! Personally, although I might leave a 12 YO home alone for a short period of time, I do NOT believe that 12 is old enough to be babysitting. I find the most disturbing element is that he didn't just lose his temper and hit the baby too hard, he "...beat a toddler to death with a baseball bat ..."!

I am glad they are charging him in juvenile court at least.

[Claudia]

How horrible! Personally, although I might leave a 12 YO home alone for a short period of time, I do NOT believe that 12 is old enough to be babysitting. I find the most disturbing element is that he didn't just lose his temper and hit the baby too hard, he "...beat a toddler to death with a baseball bat ..."!

I am glad they are charging him in juvenile court at least.

Exactly! I will leave my 12 yr old son alone for a few minutes to run to the store, and only during daylight hours. NEVER would I expect him to be responsible for a toddler! I keep children for a living, and I'll tell you what, it's a hard enough job for ME.

This boy obviously has some major issues to take things to the level he did, but he never should have been given that kind of responsibility to begin with. I wonder if this was a normal arrangement. I'd also like to know the relationship between the toddler, 10 yr old & 12 yr old.

[rockford2]

Exactly! I will leave my 12 yr old son alone for a few minutes to run to the store, and only during daylight hours. NEVER would I expect him to be responsible for a toddler! I keep children for a living, and I'll tell you what, it's a hard enough job for ME.

This boy obviously has some major issues to take things to the level he did, but he never should have been given that kind of responsibility to begin with. I wonder if this was a normal arrangement. I'd also like to know the relationship between the toddler, 10 yr old & 12 yr old.


I agree, Claudia. So many children over the years have become 'latchkey kids' and now they are also expected to watch over many children in the household.

As I have mentioned before, if we can find what triggers killers/murderers into what makes their minds tick, I'd bet most, if not always, something
happened in their childhoods.
Maybe without the knowledge of the custodial parent(s) :z0tdntknw:

If a 12 year old has THAT much rage in him, how did it get there???

[Tracian]

Uh, sorry guys, but beating a child to death with a baseball bat goes a bit beyond 'immature' there is something deeply wrong with this boy, I hope that this is addressed, rather than write it off as an act of immaturity.

[Roamer]

I agree, Tracian, that his boy is filled with rage, and has deep rooted problems.

When I called him immature, I meant only that since he couldn't control his anger, he shouldn't have been put in charge of other children.

[Tracian]

I agree, Tracian, that his boy is filled with rage, and has deep rooted problems.

When I called him immature, I meant only that since he couldn't control his anger, he shouldn't have been put in charge of other children.


I guess after the Eric Smith case, 'immature' with such a brutal act sends shivers up and down my spine.

[Roamer]

I remember that case. He wasn't immature, he was just plain mean.

[Tracian]

I remember that case. He wasn't immature, he was just plain mean.


Evil....that is the only word that comes to my mind, evil....

[PatC]

Uh, sorry guys, but beating a child to death with a baseball bat goes a bit beyond 'immature' there is something deeply wrong with this boy, I hope that this is addressed, rather than write it off as an act of immaturity.

Oh, I never meant to imply that what he did was simply immature. Clearly there is something terribly wrong when a 12 YO picks up a baseball bat and hits another living being...period, let along a toddler.

However, I feel strongly that the human brain is simply not developed to adult level at 12 years old and that a 12 YO should be treated as a juvenile.

[Tracian]

Oh, I never meant to imply that what he did was simply immature. Clearly there is something terribly wrong when a 12 YO picks up a baseball bat and hits another living being...period, let along a toddler.

However, I feel strongly that the human brain is simply not developed to adult level at 12 years old and that a 12 YO should be treated as a juvenile.


I think it depends on the crime, sometimes evil is just evil.

[Roamer]

Evil is the first word that came to my mind regarding Eric Smith, too, Tracian. I was trying to be nice. :022:

[Tracian]

Evil is the first word that came to my mind regarding Eric Smith, too, Tracian. I was trying to be nice. :022:


Once I hit 40, I got a 'way' and being nice went by the 'wayside' :girl_haha:

:kidding-01:

And, I have read your posts Roamer, and your siggy line, you can't help but be nice :)

That case hit me hard because my son looked and was the same age as Derrik, I remember until this day, watching HARDCOPY at midnight, seeing that case, and running in to my son's room, and just holding him and crying; I am sure he thought I was nutty, even though he was only about three years old.

I wonder what has happened in society that is making 'children' into killers? My kids understood about hurting living things from a very young age, what has occurred in society that this is missing from young people at an alarming rate?

[Claudia]

Once I hit 40, I got a 'way' and being nice went by the 'wayside' :girl_haha:

:kidding-01:

And, I have read your posts Roamer, and your siggy line, you can't help but be nice :)

That case hit me hard because my son looked and was the same age as Derrik, I remember until this day, watching HARDCOPY at midnight, seeing that case, and running in to my son's room, and just holding him and crying; I am sure he thought I was nutty, even though he was only about three years old.

I wonder what has happened in society that is making 'children' into killers? My kids understood about hurting living things from a very young age, what has occurred in society that this is missing from young people at an alarming rate?

Parenting. IMO.

[Roamer]

Thanks for your kind words, Tracian.

So many terrible things going on in the world today, it just boggles the mind.

Eric Smith seemed so very cold during his trial, like what he did didn't matter at all. It just broke my heart to think of the terror little Derrik must have felt.

P.S. I passed 40 a long time ago, and think I've mellowed with age. :girl_haha:

[Tracian]

Parenting. IMO.


Parenting, is I believe part of the problem, but also the way we are not allowed to parent anymore as well; the generation that nothing is ever the fault of the person that commits an act; no personal responsiblity...many things I think have lead to this break down.

[Tracian]

Thanks for your kind words, Tracian.

So many terrible things going on in the world today, it just boggles the mind.

Eric Smith seemed so very cold during his trial, like what he did didn't matter at all. It just broke my heart to think of the terror little Derrik must have felt.

P.S. I passed 40 a long time ago, and think I've mellowed with age. :girl_haha:


Sorry that I have to make on other O/T comment, but also what bothered me, is the way Eric involved himself into this case so quickly; claiming to be a 'witness' completely sociopathic.

[Claudia]

Parenting, is I believe part of the problem, but also the way we are not allowed to parent anymore as well; the generation that nothing is ever the fault of the person that commits an act; no personal responsiblity...many things I think have lead to this break down.

Oh, absolutely!! I agree 100%.
I over-simplified.

[Tracian]

Oh, absolutely!! I agree 100%.
I over-simplified.


I am just long winded...:girl_haha:

[rockford2]

Once I hit 40, I got a 'way' and being nice went by the 'wayside' :girl_haha:

:kidding-01:

And, I have read your posts Roamer, and your siggy line, you can't help but be nice :)

That case hit me hard because my son looked and was the same age as Derrik, I remember until this day, watching HARDCOPY at midnight, seeing that case, and running in to my son's room, and just holding him and crying; I am sure he thought I was nutty, even though he was only about three years old.

I wonder what has happened in society that is making 'children' into killers? My kids understood about hurting living things from a very young age, what has occurred in society that this is missing from young people at an alarming rate?


violence from either home or on tv/cable, and these dang video games!

They say that some people are BORN evil, but I don't believe that.

[rockford2]

Parenting, is I believe part of the problem, but also the way we are not allowed to parent anymore as well; the generation that nothing is ever the fault of the person that commits an act; no personal responsiblity...many things I think have lead to this break down.

exactly! when does ANYONE anymore take responsibility for their actions? It's never them; it's always the 'other person."

And look at these kids today! My 14 year old came home and told me that one boy in his class received a huge, big screen tv for his bedroom

for a Christmas gift! :shock:

IMO, it used to be that in neighborhoods, everyone was just about in the 'same boat' monetarily wise. Not anymore. Then you have kids who are less fortunate and having to babysit or help their parents work, and I think a lot of anger starts there.