Michigan teen charged with fatally stabbing 7-year-old sister
(CBS DETROIT) - A 13-year-old Taylor girl has been charged in connection with fatally stabbing her 7-year-old sister over the weekend, prosecutors say.
On Saturday afternoon, Taylor police responded to a home in the 14200 block of Banner Avenue for a reported stabbing. When police arrived, they found the victim in the bathroom, suffering from several stab wounds. The victim was taken to an area hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
Police say the teen and her sister were home alone and that the teen was babysitting her sister. The two allegedly got into an argument. When the argument was over, the teen allegedly waited in a bathroom until the victim came in and stabbed her several times with a knife. The teen then called 911.
The teen, who is being charged as a juvenile, faces first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder and first-degree child abuse charges.
On Thursday, a judge amended a petition to make the teen be adult-designated. This means that if convicted, she would be sentenced either as a juvenile, an adult or as a juvenile with the option of an adult sentence if not rehabilitated.
"There is absolutely no doubt that the facts in this case are horrific. It is beyond disturbing that the alleged person responsible for the stabbing death of her seven-year-old sister is thirteen years old, said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
"We considered adult designating her which is not the same thing as trying her as an adult. It gives the judge the option of sentencing the respondent as a juvenile, or as an adult, or giving a blended juvenile sentence with an option of imposing an adult sentence if the juvenile is not rehabilitated. Our other option was to keep her in the juvenile system. We opted to do just that. Given her young age, the State would have seven years to diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate her until her mandatory release at age 21. Hopefully then she would not be a danger to others. While this is a difficult decision given these facts, it is the right thing to do in this case."
