12 Y/O Boy Beats Toddler to Death for Crying

[RedGlitter]

What would you do with this one?


LAUDERHILL, Florida (AP) -- A 12-year-old boy beat a toddler to death with a baseball bat because she was crying while he was trying to watch TV, authorities said.
The boy, who was not identified, was arrested Saturday on first-degree murder charges, Lauderhill police spokesman Lt. Mike Cochran said.
He was arraigned in juvenile court Sunday and remained in custody, but it was not clear if he had an attorney or if anyone else would be charged in the girl's death.
Cochran said the boy confessed to authorities that he was home alone Friday baby-sitting a 10-year-old girl and the 17-month-old girl and became angry when the toddler began to cry. The relationship between the three was not clear.
At some point, an adult called 911. The girl, Shaloh Joseph, was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead of blunt force trauma to the head, Cochran said.
The Miami Herald identified the boy's mother as Guerla Joseph. A telephone listing for a Guerla Joseph in Fort Lauderdale had been disconnected.
The case is not the first in Florida where a boy so young has been charged in the death of a child. Lionel Tate was 12 when he beat and stomped to death a playmate half his age in Florida.
At the time, Tate was the youngest person in modern U.S. history to receive a life prison sentence. His attorneys initially said he accidentally killed 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick in 1999 while imitating pro wrestling moves.
Tate was convicted as an adult of first-degree murder, but the conviction was thrown out in 2004, and Tate pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

[History buff]

RG, at what age would you allow a juvenile to be prosecuted for murder as an adult??

[RedGlitter]

Originally Posted by History buff

RG, at what age would you allow a juvenile to be prosecuted for murder as an adult??

That would have to depend on the circumstances of the killing. I am unable to offer a specific age for you but I'll go as far as saying I do not generally object to kids being tried for murder. In this case? Definitely. A 12 year old knows what's going to happen if he beats a baby repeatedly with a baseball bat. It's ridiculous to pretend he doesn't have the wherewithal to understand that or to understand what he did was wrong.

[History buff]

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

That would have to depend on the circumstances of the killing. I am unable to offer a specific age for you but I'll go as far as saying I do not generally object to kids being tried for murder. In this case? Definitely. A 12 year old knows what's going to happen if he beats a baby repeatedly with a baseball bat. It's ridiculous to pretend he doesn't have the wherewithal to understand that or to understand what he did was wrong.

The lowest age I have seen by law in any state is 14.

[RedGlitter]

I think 14 is acceptable.

[lemon_and_mint]

maybe the child wanted to watch tv in peace, poor kid.
It isn't right to force a child of that age - a boy - which is less mature than a girk of that age - to babysit 2 other children.

[Chezzie]

RG, do you think its also acceptable to kill any animal if they kill a human being? See by saying you think it acceptable to put children to death from age 14 for murder etc..surely if an animal kills, they should also suffer the same fate or would you be putting the dog owners on trial/death penalty..In which case why is it different for a child than a dog? Im not picking here, just trying to understand where your coming from hun as I just dont understand your reasoning for the death penalty.

Personally my opinion is @ 12 years old that KID is not reponsible enough to look after two children. In the uk, under 14 years must be looked after under an adults supervison as they are deemed too immature before that age. My daughter is 10 in feb and I cant envisage her in two years time being mature enough to look after another child and a baby. To put a child in that position is wrong.

Of course what he did was wrong but you cant go killing him for someone elses stupidity, if he wasnt put in that position he well may grow up to be a fine young citizen and run for president one day, who knows??

This is why the death penalty is wrong and im glad we dont have it here in the UK. Loads and loads of people in the UK have been wrongly imprisoned for crimes they didnt commit, unfortunately alot dont recover from being subjected to the prison system but at least they wern't murdered for something they didnt commit.

Yes the youth culture of today is soaring out of control and the authorities need to stamp this out quick but not by murdering the children.

[JacksDad]

Originally Posted by lemon_and_mint

maybe the child wanted to watch tv in peace, poor kid.

Yea. Ya know?

Transformers is really a good show.
Or do you think he was watching the primary debates?

[lemon_and_mint]

Originally Posted by JacksDad

Yea. Ya know?

Transformers is really a good show.
Or do you think he was watching the primary debates?

as your username suggests, you have a child of your own, you are not going to tell me that you wouldnt know how your child reacts to -

- watching his favourite tv show, does he ask for quiet?You would know if that show was on at the time you left the house
- the younger child, has he shown bad behaviour towards it before?

the parents must be to blame.

[lemon_and_mint]

look at the age gap there -

12 to under two.

when i hear of parents of children over 8 having another baby the only thing i feel is sympathy for the older children, who never asked for a screaming baby to interrupt their sleep, their playing, their lives, but they had it forced on them anyway.