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On Saturday, May 27, The Law & Crime Network released footage of a 12-year-old Oklahoma girl's arrest. The incident occurred on January 5, after the 12-year-old allegedly stabbed her brother to death. In the shocking video, the young suspect can be heard pleading with authorities for leniency.
Trigger warning: This article concerns a homicide investigation. Reader discretion is advised.
In the footage of the incident, the 12-year-old could be heard admitting to the police that she perpetrated the stabbing.
She said to the responding officers:
"Are the handcuffs necessary? I’m a good child."
Investigators stated that the 12-year-old killed her 9-year-old brother just before midnight, when their mother was asleep. Authorities have not disclosed an official motive behind the crime.
Authorities comment on the Oklahoma stabbing
According to the Tulsa Police Department, officers were first called after the 12-year-old suspect woke up her mother, April Lydia, and informed her that she had stabbed her 9-year-old brother. In the video, the 12-year-old could be seen sobbing and repeatedly apologizing to her mother and police officers as she was led away.
Police noted in the report of the arrest:
“Officers learned the children’s parent was upstairs asleep when the 12-year-old daughter woke the parent up and said that she had stabbed her 9-year-old brother."
The Oklahoma child's mother could be heard screaming at her in shock.
The mother reportedly said:
"How could you stab him?! You better pray to God he'll make it."
When questioned by Oklahoma authorities, the suspect stated her age, before admitting that she threw the knife used in the incident out of the window.
After the stabbing, the 9-year-old was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 2:30 am.
Captain Meulenberg of the Tulsa police said that due to the victim's young age, determining the intent and possible motive behind the suspect's actions is proving difficult for police.
Meulenberg said:
“Obviously we did some interviews, but interviews with a 12-year-old are very preliminary. This, unfortunately, has no easy end or easy path, this is going to be a long convoluted process that’s going to be extremely taxing on everyone involved in this.”
In the wake of the incident, family friends of the 9-year-old victim's mother started a fundraiser. The initiative is aimed at helping April Lydia pay for legal fees and funeral costs. The GoFundMe page has raised around $7300 of a $15,000 goal.
Oklahoma authorities noted that the 9-year-old's murder was the second killing in Tulsa this year. The New York Post reported that not only was it the second murder, it was also the second sibling murder.
