TN - 12 yr old Smothers her 8 yr old Cousin, Demeria, to Death in Humbolt July 2024

[tlcya]

HUMBOLDT, Tenn. (WMC) - An 8-year-old girl was murdered by her older cousin on Monday in Humboldt, Tennessee, according to Frederick Agee, District Attorney General for Tennessee Judicial District 28.
[snip]
“The video shows the 12-year-old with her full body weight taking bedding, it appears the 8-year-old is asleep, and she takes the bedding and covers the 8-year-old’s face,” Agee said, adding that the video also shows the younger girl struggling to survive the attack.
[snip]
DA Agee said the 12-year-old, who turns 13 soon, will appear in court in Trenton on Friday afternoon. He intends to ask the judge to transfer her to adult court.

“I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted,” DA Agee wrote in a release. “Due to the horrendous nature of this crime and under Tennessee law, the Juvenile Court loses jurisdiction after a juvenile turns 19, and therefore, the juvenile would be free from any further detention, supervision, or court-ordered mental health treatment.”

“Our Office is petitioning Juvenile Judge Mark Johnson to transfer the delinquent child to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult, which allows for a lengthier sentence, whether that will be through incarceration or supervision with court-ordered conditions.”
12-year-old TN girl charged with murder, accused of suffocating sleeping 8-year-old cousin

 

[tlcya]

Home security video obtained by Humboldt Police Department investigators reportedly shows a 12-year-old girl using bedding to suffocate her sleeping eight-year-old cousin on the top of the bunk bed they shared.

After the suffocation, the preteen allegedly “cleaned up” her cousin and repositioned her body.
Tennessee preteen charged with first-degree murder after suffocating sleeping 8-year-old cousin to death, DA says

The 8-year-old girl’s name is Demeria. She was visiting from Nashville. Her 12-year-old cousin was visiting from South Carolina. Their grandmother said the two were inseparable.
[snip]
The memorial for the girl in front of her grandmother’s home features balloons in Demeria’s favorite colors: pink, purple and pale blue. Her cherished stuffed animals are on display, and bottles of the nail polish she loved to wear sit next to notes written by loved ones.

Her family and the police said they are struggling to figure out the motive.
Older cousin accused of suffocating sleeping 8-year-old cousin to death, DA says

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Wow, how tragic. What on Earth has gone wrong with this 12-year-old?

 

[tlcya]

I realized after posting I got Demeria's name wrong in the title. I've requested a correction.

Reportedly they were close cousins so I can't imagine what prompted this. They weren't fighting, Demeria was asleep when this happened. This poor family. Poor grandma!

 

[TTF14]

How terrible for these families! I thought maybe a physical fight got out of control, but this was totally premeditated. Wow.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

On July 17, Agee's office received home security footage of a 12-year-old girl using bedding to smother her 8-year-old cousin in the top bunk of the bunk beds they were sharing. The District Attorney's office said that, after the suffocation, the 12-year-old cleaned up her cousin's body and repositioned it.

The child will be charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

"I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted," the District Attorney said in a post to his official Facebook page. "Due to the horrendous nature of this crime and under Tennessee Law the Juvenile Court loses jurisdiction after a juvenile turns 19... our Office is petitioning Juvenile Judge Mark Johnson to transfer the delinquent child to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult."

12-year-old girl suffocates, kills 8-year-old cousin, Humboldt DA says

The District Attorney's office said they have petitioned the court to try the girl as an adult.

www.fox13memphis.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The victim’s mother, Rayana Smith, identified her as Demeria Hollingsworth. She remembered Demeria was always smiling, doing well in school, and hugging her little sister.

“She liked to read books, go swimming, play outside, ride her bike every day, play with the kids in the neighborhood, play with my friends kids. My baby was sweet,” Smith said.


Smith said the girls were staying with their grandmother in Humboldt for the summer. She says the issue stemmed over an argument over an iPhone.

https://wreg.com/news/mid-south/12-year-old-girl-charged-with-killing-8-year-old-by-suffocation/

 

[tlcya]

Demeria had a beautiful smile that lit up her whole countenance. RIH Sweet girl.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1814352454550532299

 

[tlcya]

a summer at grandma's for these girls turned into a nightmare this family may never recover from. A petty argument earlier in the day over an I-phone apparently led the 12 year old to smother her cousin in her sleep. Poor baby, I can't imagine her panic to awaken unable to breath and struggle to get free. All the while being aware that you are about to die. The fear and panic of those last moments.

Just so sad and tragic. Two branches of the family's lives changed forever.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted,” Agee wrote

12-year-old girl accused of killing her 8-year-old cousin over iPhone in Tennessee

A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee has been charged with murder, accused of smothering her 8-year-old cousin as the younger girl slept. A relative said they had been arguing over an iPhone.

www.nbcchicago.com

 

[borndem]

What beautiful beam of light that little Demeria must have brought to many folks, I am sure.
What in the world could have made her older cousin do what she did? Arguing over a iPhone? Jealousy? SMH.
And now the 12-year-old cousin could be looking at a long prison sentence -- especially if this case is tried in adult District Court, as the D.A. has proposed.

Strength and faith to those who knew and loved her.
Fly high, Demeria, little angel.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A bit about Humboldt, TN - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Humboldt is a city in Gibson and Madison counties, Tennessee. The population was 8,452 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1,015 from 2000. It is the principal city of and is included in the Humboldt, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Jackson, Tennessee-Humboldt, Tennessee Combined Statistical Area.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

[charminglane]

Thank goodness there is video.
I still find it unusual when it is inside a home.

 

[Mert]

Thank goodness there is video.
I still find it unusual when it is inside a home.

I immediately thought it was odd that there may be a camera in the bedroom the girls were staying, unless they were in a living space. I suppose people utilize cameras all over now, just something I am not so accustomed to.

* My opinions

 

[borndem]

Same here, @Mert.
Waiting to find out in which court the 12 y/o will be tried.
I am glad that there is a video.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Thank goodness there is video.
I still find it unusual when it is inside a home.

My thoughts, exactly!
Thankful there IS in-home CCTV....
but curious why it was there?
JMO

 

[SMK777]

I realized after posting I got Demeria's name wrong in the title. I've requested a correction.

Reportedly they were close cousins so I can't imagine what prompted this. They weren't fighting, Demeria was asleep when this happened. This poor family. Poor grandma!

Yes, cousins going for a stay at grandma’s, ages 8 and 12, should have been summer fun!

Arguing over an iPhone is normal, but murdering after the cousin falls asleep as retaliation is not. I have no words…

 

[SMK777]

Thank goodness there is video.
I still find it unusual when it is inside a home.

Yes, thankfully it was recorded. But why they felt the need to have a camera in the bedroom is a question, unless maybe for safety, to check on a child?

 

[TTF14]

Yes, thankfully it was recorded. But why they felt the need to have a camera in the bedroom is a question, unless maybe for safety, to check on a child?

Maybe left over from when the kids were babies? Baby monitor? Hopefully it's something as simple as that!

This 12 year old girl obviously had anger and impulse issues she could not control. I don't think she should be tried as an adult, but that's just my opinion!

IMO MOO

 

[SMK777]

Maybe left over from when the kids were babies? Baby monitor? Hopefully it's something as simple as that!

This 12 year old girl obviously had anger and impulse issues she could not control. I don't think she should be tried as an adult, but that's just my opinion!

IMO MOO

Yes, there’s a strong case in general for minors being tried as minors, but is too thorny to discuss here.

I’m wondering if she was on any medications, or if she has any prior history of acting out in dangerous ways. Truly a horrible situation and an absolutely horrendous outcome.