MI - 13-year old girl stabs 7-year old sister to death - September 28, 2024

[SMK777]

A photo of the family home, decorated for Halloween. Tragic that they never saw this coming, and they only planned to be out for 2 hours.

Babysitter, 13, Accused of Stabbing Sister, 7, to Death After Argument over 'Flushing the Toilet': Reports

A girl, 13, in Michigan, has reportedly been accused of stabbing her 7-year-old sister to death following an argument about 'flushing the toilet' while babysitting

people.com

 

[al66pine]

Substances?

It even makes me wonder if she could have been using some kind of substances, even at her age…..it’s just difficult to fathom. I wonder what the defense will be?

@SMK777 There's a possibility.
A drug?
What drug might disconnect her so far from reality?
Did she deliberately ingest it after parents left?

____, ____, or _____? Anyone?

An Rx prescribed for a member of the household?
Or a street-"recreational" drug, whether known or unknown to her?

How obtained?
A school mate, neighbor, or ___ ?
Bought, bartered, or received gratis?
Found accidentally at home, school, or __?

^ Just possibilities^ not a theory.

If she ingested a drug, many factors could have led to it, but seems doubtful imo that it was an Rx for her.

 

[SMK777]

Substances?

@SMK777 There's a possibility.
A drug?
What drug might disconnect her so far from reality?
Did she deliberately ingest it after parents left?

____, ____, or _____? Anyone?

An Rx prescribed for a member of the household?
Or a street-"recreational" drug, whether known or unknown to her?

How obtained?
A school mate, neighbor, or ___ ?
Bought, bartered, or received gratis?
Found accidentally at home, school, or __?

^ Just possibilities^ not a theory.

If she ingested a drug, many factors could have led to it, but seems doubtful imo that it was an Rx for her.

Yes, it’s something to consider and I hope she was tested. Unfortunately in our era age 13 is not too young to be experimenting, and what better time to take something than when your parents are out?

Just speculation without any word from investigators of course, but as she’s a teen it’s something to take into account.

Yes, could be from a schoolmate or going into the medicine cabinet.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

(Speculation of one possibility.) Maybe having a lack of many emotions was how she typically was, and so it was thought of as just her normal personality, not necessarily something to worry about... until this day.

Here is a good article that addresses the possible lack of emotions, empathy in teens.

Is It Normal for Teenagers to Lack Empathy?

The prefrontal cortex is last to develop because it allows people to focus on self-mastery before becoming fully conscientious about the welfare of their respective communities.

www.psychologytoday.com

 

[Trebor5591]

Their parents left the girls at home at around 11:15 a.m. that day, the older sister was babysitting the younger. A detective said the argument "stemmed from a note that was placed in the bathroom" about "flushing the toilet,"

The victim was reportedly stabbed multiple times with a butcher's knife and hunting knife, and had "over 10 stab wounds to the abdomen, head, and neck. [paraphrased by me]
Babysitter, 13, Accused of Stabbing Sister, 7, to Death After Argument over 'Flushing the Toilet': Reports

Taylor police believe mental illness played a role in the deadly stabbing.
How ‘flush toilet’ note led to Taylor girl stabbing 7-year-old sister to death with 2 knives

"Mental illness played a role". So why was a mentally-ill 13-year-old babysitting a 7-year-old?

 

[SMK777]

"Mental illness played a role". So why was a mentally-ill 13-year-old babysitting a 7-year-old?

I guess that is law enforcement’s opinion, and I can see why with violence of this nature.

But her family and school saw no mental health issues.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t any, of course.

I tend to think that a mentally healthy teen would not commit this crime. MOO

 

[Trebor5591]

I guess that is law enforcement’s opinion, and I can see why with violence of this nature.

But her family and school saw no mental health issues.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t any, of course.

I tend to think that a mentally healthy teen would not commit this crime. MOO

I went back to read the news stories. Law enforcement did not claim "mental illness" played a role in the stabbing. As best I can tell, the "mental illness" comment was made by the WS person who posted the story.

 

[SMK777]

I went back to read the news stories. Law enforcement did not claim "mental illness" played a role in the stabbing. As best I can tell, the "mental illness" comment was made by the WS person who posted the story.

Oh, thanks for that correction!

 

[vls12345]

but I guess age 13 is not too young to babysit a sister.

Rsbm.

A couple of states have laws regarding minimum age for a babysitter, but MI does not.

Even the US Department of Labor says younger people (under age 14) can "babysit on a casual basis". Generally, the appropriate age range seems 12 or 13 years and up.

Non-Agricultural Jobs - Under 14

www.dol.gov

Siblings babysitting siblings: Many factors to consider

What parents need to know about siblings babysitting their siblings.

www.canr.msu.edu

What Is The Legal Age For Babysitting? | The Best Babysitters

Before you start babysitting it’s important to be mindful of any rules and regulations. We cover all you need to know before you get started babysitting.

www.thebestbabysitters.com

 

[tlcya]

I went back to read the news stories. Law enforcement did not claim "mental illness" played a role in the stabbing. As best I can tell, the "mental illness" comment was made by the WS person who posted the story.

the post you quoted of mine upthread literally contains a quote and link from a early article which stated that

Taylor police believe mental illness played a role in the deadly stabbing.
How ‘flush toilet’ note led to Taylor girl stabbing 7-year-old sister to death with 2 knives

It's not as if I and the OP pulled that out of our rear ends. I don't know if that assessment is true or not but I do know it was reported as such in one of the first articles about this case and I have linked it once again here.

 

[Trebor5591]

the post you quoted of mine upthread literally contains a quote and link from a early article which stated that



It's not as if I and the OP pulled that out of our rear ends. I don't know if that assessment is true or not but I do know it was reported as such in one of the first articles about this case and I have linked it once again here.

Thank you! My apologies to you. It was hard to track down the source of that statement. Apparently it was an assertion by the reporter without any attribution to a specific law enforcement source.

The point I was trying to make was that, in my opinion, far too many people, including law enforcement it appears, throw around "mental illness" as a reason for someone committing horrific crimes of violence, when the people who make those statements lack the education and credentials to make such a diagnosis. It's really just meaningless psycho-babble, in my opinion.

 

[SMK777]

the post you quoted of mine upthread literally contains a quote and link from a early article which stated that



It's not as if I and the OP pulled that out of our rear ends. I don't know if that assessment is true or not but I do know it was reported as such in one of the first articles about this case and I have linked it once again here.

Yes, I see this paragraph now:

Taylor police believe mental illness played a role in the deadly stabbing.

“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. 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.”

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy

 

[tlcya]

Thank you! My apologies to you. It was hard to track down the source of that statement. Apparently it was an assertion by the reporter without any attribution to a specific law enforcement source.

The point I was trying to make was that, in my opinion, far too many people, including law enforcement it appears, throw around "mental illness" as a reason for someone committing horrific crimes of violence, when the people who make those statements lack the education and credentials to make such a diagnosis. It's really just meaningless psycho-babble, in my opinion.

yeah, I am not sure what I think about whether mental illness played a role. Without more info it is hard to land on either side of that debate. And since the girl will remain in juvenile court rather than adult court it isn't as if we will ever hear about whether that played a factor in this crime or not.

 

[katydid23]

Half of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14.

Mental illness is treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives.

About Mental Health​

Mental Health...involves effective functioning in daily activities resulting in:

• Productive activities (such as in work, school or caregiving).
• Healthy relationships.
• Ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.

Mental Illness...refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders — health conditions involving:

• Significant changes in thinking, emotion and/or behavior.
• Distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.

Mental health is the foundation for emotions, thinking, communication, learning, resilience, hope and self-esteem. Mental health is also key to relationships, personal and emotional well-being and contributing to community or society. Mental health is a component of overall well-being. It can influence and be influenced by physical health.

Many people who have a mental illness do not want to talk about it. But mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of! It is a medical condition, just like heart disease or diabetes. And mental health conditions are treatable. We are continually expanding our understanding of how the human brain works, and treatments are available to help people successfully manage mental health conditions.

Mental illness does not discriminate; it can affect anyone regardless of your age, gender, geography, income, social status, race, ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background or other aspect of cultural identity. While mental illness can occur at any age, three-fourths of all mental illness begins by age 24.

Mental illnesses take many forms. Some are mild and only interfere in limited ways with daily life, such as some phobias (abnormal fears). Other mental health conditions are so severe that a person may need care in a hospital. Similar to other medical illnesses, the optimal ways to provide care depend on the illness and the severity of its impact.

What is Mental Illness?

Learn about mental illness, diagnosis and treatment

www.psychiatry.org

IMO, according to this definition of 'mental illness', the defendant appears to fit the definition:

Mental Illness...refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders — health conditions involving:

• Significant changes in thinking, emotion and/or behavior.
• Distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.

 

[Trebor5591]

some additional details in this story:

DiGiacomo said the girls' parents were "devastated" and had "no idea" the 13-year-old was allegedly capable of doing something like that.

"No arguments besides normal sibling arguments," the detective says of what home life was like for the teenager, insisting she'd done nothing to lead the parents "to believe that something like this would happen."

The 13-year-old, who allegedly called 911 after the stabbing, is now facing charges of first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, and first-degree child abuse, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release obtained by PEOPLE.

Detective Says Teen Accused of Killing Sister, 7, Appeared 'Emotionless' Afterward: 'Like Things Were Normal'

The Michigan teenager is facing murder charges after police allege she stabbed her 7-year-old sister to death on Saturday, Sept. 28.

people.com

 

[SMK777]

some additional details in this story:

DiGiacomo said the girls' parents were "devastated" and had "no idea" the 13-year-old was allegedly capable of doing something like that.

"No arguments besides normal sibling arguments," the detective says of what home life was like for the teenager, insisting she'd done nothing to lead the parents "to believe that something like this would happen."

The 13-year-old, who allegedly called 911 after the stabbing, is now facing charges of first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, and first-degree child abuse, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release obtained by PEOPLE.

Detective Says Teen Accused of Killing Sister, 7, Appeared 'Emotionless' Afterward: 'Like Things Were Normal'

The Michigan teenager is facing murder charges after police allege she stabbed her 7-year-old sister to death on Saturday, Sept. 28.

people.com

Assuming the parents are not in denial, it is really horribly shocking. A real mystery.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

We see cases like this here. So many cases where someone suddenly murders horrifically and senselessly and then shows very little or no emotions, no remorse. I wonder what these people have as a common thread.

 

[Trebor5591]

Assuming the parents are not in denial, it is really horribly shocking. A real mystery.

The murder of a child like this, committed by a sibling, does not occur in a vacuum. I feel certain as more details are revealed, the situation in the home will become more clear.

 

[SMK777]

The murder of a child like this, committed by a sibling, does not occur in a vacuum. I feel certain as more details are revealed, the situation in the home will become more clear.

I keep thinking similar.

 

[RememberingRyan]

I’ll wait for additional information, but having worked with young people who eventually grew into adults diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, I’ll also say that I firmly believe regardless of the age requirement for diagnosis, it is something I think is often apparent from a very young age. This child may have a very serious mental health need that has gone unmet simply due to problems with how we stigmatize conditions to such an extent that we withhold diagnoses. I also have some pretty strong opinions on the kind of home environment that allows weapons of that kind to be in a house with children, but I don’t want to teeter into a realm that asserts blame on the family when mental illness is more often the aspect that tips a person into this degree of violence regardless of the attitudes in their homes.