GUILTY MI - Connor Verkerke, 9, dies in playground stabbing, Kentwood, 4 Aug 2014

[laughin]

A 9-year-old boy has died after being stabbed repeatedly by another child at a playground at a mobile home park in western Michigan, police said Tuesday.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/police-boy-stabs-9-year-old-child-playground

 

[nightwatch]

Wow! As calm as the 12yr boy was, that's scary. Jmo

ciao

 

[Linda7NJ]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...der-stabbing-playmate-9-death-playground.html

Witness Glen Stacy told the Press he was doing yard work when Jamarion approached him and asked to borrow his cell phone. Mr Stacy said he assumed the child was calling him mother. Instead the 12-year-old called cops and admitted to a brutal crime.

Mr Stacy says the boy told police: 'I want to die. I don’t want to be on this earth anymore. Please pick me up.'

He says Jamarion told him that he lashed out because he had 'taken many pills' and nobody loved him.

 

[Lovejac]

He only became animated when police finally arrived - and didn't immediately arrest him. Mr Stacy said the first emergency personnel went to the playground to help the victim. This upset the boy.

'Hello. I’m right here. You’re going the wrong way,' Jamarion shouted as officers arrived.

When police did finally come for him, he walked toward the cops with his hands out in front of him - showing he wanted to be handcuffed.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...laymate-9-death-playground.html#ixzz39gHGY2xe

 

[Linda7NJ]

This one is so heartbreaking all around...and bafflingly senseless...

 

[Lovejac]

It's been a rough couple of weeks here.

So sad :hug:

 

[Lovejac]

http://fox17online.com/2014/08/05/neighbor-of-12-year-old-murder-suspect-no-surprise-over-arrest/

Neighbor of 12-year-old murder suspect says ‘no surprise’ over arrest

 

[Lovejac]

http://fox17online.com/2014/08/06/g...d-murder-victim-connor-was-just-full-of-love/

“Any person that knew him, knew Connor, is suffering a big loss,” she said. “He was that type of child.” Nunemaker, who lives in Columbus, Ind., describes Connor as a leader, a charmer and ‘just a good kid’ who was the oldest of four great grandchildren in the family. She received the call from her daughter—Connor’s grandmother—about what happened Monday on the playground

Connor was with his younger brother Cameron on the playground in the Pinebrooks Village mobile home park Monday when he was stabbed repeatedly in the back with a kitchen knife by 12-year-old Jamarion Lawhorn. In the moments following the terrifying ordeal, Connor had his brother by his side.

“He said to Cameron, ‘Cameron help me get back to the house,’ he said ‘I know I am dying and I want to give my Mom and Dad a kiss again before I die,’ Nunemaker said through tears. “That’s all he could think, I want to kiss Mom and Dad one more time before I die.”

 

[popsicle]

He didn't know Conner before the attack and had joined the 9-year-old and two friends on the playground.



Suddenly, he pulled a knife out of the sand and stabbed Conner multiple times in the back, authorities say. Police aren't saying where Jamarion got the weapon.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...laymate-9-death-playground.html#ixzz39gaGazsM

Scary kid.

 

[SurfieTX]

I'm not sure I agree with them trying him as an adult. This case is so heartbreaking.

 

[Supernovae]

I'm not sure I agree with them trying him as an adult. This case is so heartbreaking.

I disagree with the concept of trying children as adults full stop . Whatever they may have done they're not adults, on point of fact, and should be treated correspondingly in whatever the appropriate way is for a child or young person who may well have committed a heinous crime. Particularly very young children who have committed extremely violent crime tend to be more psychologically underdeveloped compared to normal children, not less.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I disagree with the concept of trying children as adults full stop . Whatever they may have done they're not adults, on point of fact, and should be treated correspondingly in whatever the appropriate way is for a child or young person who may well have committed a heinous crime. Particularly very young children who have committed extremely violent crime tend to be more psychologically underdeveloped compared to normal children, not less.

I think murdering someone by stabbing them in the back...with intent...requires far more than a "time out"

 

[Ausgirl]

Omg, not another one......

What is going on with 12 yr olds stabbing other kids?

 

[Ausgirl]

I think murdering someone by stabbing them in the back...with intent...requires far more than a "time out"

I didn't see anyone suggesting a time out.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I didn't see anyone suggesting a time out.

Me either.

But I love blended sentencing, especially if it includes intensive "treatment" by qualified professionals. If the child is still deemed a danger he/she can be moved over to adult prison
Society needs to be protected, the kid gets a shot a rehabilitation and if that's not successful...further incarceration.

Win-win IMO

 

[Ausgirl]

Me either.

But I love blended sentencing, especially if it includes intensive "treatment" by qualified professionals. If the child is still deemed a danger he/she can be moved over to adult prison
Society needs to be protected, the kid gets a shot a rehabilitation and if that's not successful...further incarceration.

Win-win IMO

I think this 'blended' approach sounds like a very good idea to me.

Reading the victim's last words to his brother just made me so, so sad. What a loving boy he was.

 

[tlcya]

I read the headlines on this one at work today and had no time to read the actual coverage. I am sitting here crying. That poor boy, all he wanted was to get home to his family. He knew he was dying and wanted his family around him.

And this 12 year old child. I cry for him too. I don't have a clue what has made him who he is at this moment but to be 12 and have that outlook is just so very sad to me.

 

[katydid23]

I feel badly for the 12 yr old too. But I'm not sure I ever want him to be walking around FREE amongst the rest of us either.

 

[tlcya]

trusting the courts to judge properly if blended sentencing is appropriate. Just glad it is an option. I like when courts have broader options available in sentencing, especially with young minors like this kid. To be 12 and to value life, that of others and your own,so little is just so depressing and sad to me.

 

[Frigga]

I am very interested in "the pills" the 12 year old mentioned to the neighbor when borrowing his phone.

What could they be?