WI - 10-year old charged as adult for shooting mother to death for refusal to buy VR headset - 12/3/22

[mickey2942]

The scary part of this, is that a child could have a diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder, rage, abuse animals, and there is no way to predict if he or she is actively dangerous to himself or others. Until something like this occurs.

Of course, this child also could potentially have a diagnosis of psychosis, hearing the voices.

Looks like mental illness to me, not necessarily criminal, but he is probably where he needs to be. I doubt anyone will pay his bail.

There is no mention of this in the article, but I would be interested in what video games he was playing.

The article below has more information, he was seen by a therapist, and that is why the victim put cameras in the house.

Wisconsin boy, 10, charged as adult in alleged killing of mom over Amazon purchase | Fox News

A 10-year-old Wisconsin boy has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting his mother because she wouldn't buy him a VR headset.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Lilibet]

There is no mention of this in the article, but I would be interested in what video games he was playing.

Me too. I know it’s not popular to consider violent video games when a child reacts violently, but it can be a factor, as was mentioned in the articles I posted about the boy in my town who stabbed his mother. I was actually the one to alert local LE to the violent videos he was watching. Websleuther that I am, I had googled the Mom and discovered that there was a YouTube channel in her name filled with videos of horrendous video games being played, including one with a knife attack. I figured the boy had opened the account or had taken over one she wasn’t using. When I emailed the link to the police chief, he had a detective call me right away. He mainly wanted to know if I knew the family (no) and if not, how I happened to find the channel. “Just curious about the victim, officer.” I never knew if they took it seriously until the article came out when the boy was sentenced. The lesson…if you see something, say something.

One other thing, this was a good family, with involved parents, living in a very nice home. Things were normal until they weren’t. Obviously, there was more going on with this boy than video games, but whatever it was, it wasn’t obvious as it is with the boy on this thread.
JMO

 

[borndem]

Good post, @mickey2942 -- and good post as well, @Lilibet.
Lots of things to ponder on this child. It would certainly be informative to a professional -- and to us -- to know what types of video games he was playing.
Just hoping that a mental illness professional will have access to him with ample time to really get a good feel for what should be next for him and how he could be helped. If he can be helped, it will make it easier for those people who will have to deal with him -- while he is incarcerated and beyond (if there ever is a beyond).
Somehow, IMHO, his psyche went askew and he needs whatever can be done to make him better -- certainly for him, and for those who will be around him where ever that may be.

 

[Dre]

Nauseating. What an absolute nightmare!

It’s one of those tricky slippery slope arguments imo..
Like Ted Bundy and others very seriously citing addiction to violent as a precursor to their actions, the process of continually desensitizing yourself can become extraordinarily lethal in some of these extreme cases.
Very much hope that he’s not tried as an adult and that he’s given resources and treatment he needs.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I'm just hearing about this. It's horrifying to think this 10-year-old can be charged as an adult. Does anyone know if he was under the care of a psychologist or psychiatrist?

from what i have heard, you cant force anyone to get psych help until something happens. mental health care is broken in this nation.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

charged as adult

10 year old charged as adult in mom's homicide appears in court; judge maintains $50K bail

The 10-year-old charged with shooting and killing his mother made his first in-person appearance in court on Wednesday afternoon.

www.tmj4.com

 

[mickey2942]

charged as adult

10 year old charged as adult in mom's homicide appears in court; judge maintains $50K bail

The 10-year-old charged with shooting and killing his mother made his first in-person appearance in court on Wednesday afternoon.

www.tmj4.com

Interesting. This child has definite mental health issues. I wouldn't see why he should be treated as an adult at age 10.

 

[annpats]

Some people, sadly can't be helped. Their psychiatric disorders are too far gone to ever be able to be free to be in public again. I'm afraid this boy is one of those.

 

[mickey2942]

Some people, sadly can't be helped. Their psychiatric disorders are too far gone to ever be able to be free to be on public again. I'm afraid this boy is one of those.

I don't agree with this. A child doesn't understand the long term consequences of an impulsive decision. The "choice" to kill his mother because she didn't buy him a toy on Amazon was a "snapshot" of him, doing something impulsively. Same as stealing a toy from a store. Impulsive emotion, act. There is no space for thinking about consequences.

The real crime here, in my opinion, was allowing any type of access to a lethal weapon. If the mother wanted a gun in the home, it should have been secured in a gun safe, with a combination.

 

[rkendmar]

Interesting. This child has definite mental health issues. I wouldn't see why he should be treated as an adult at age 10.

If he goes into the juvenile justice system he will be released when he is 18 and his criminal record will be sealed (iirc).
He is most likely too dangerous to be released, JMO.

 

[annpats]

I don't agree with this. A child doesn't understand the long term consequences of an impulsive decision. The "choice" to kill his mother because she didn't buy him a toy on Amazon was a "snapshot" of him, doing something impulsively.

No. Even at 10 years old you know the difference between right and wrong....and you know shooting your mother in the face with a gun is wrong.

Long term consequences don't even come into it.

 

[lonetraveler]

I don't agree with this. A child doesn't understand the long term consequences of an impulsive decision. The "choice" to kill his mother because she didn't buy him a toy on Amazon was a "snapshot" of him, doing something impulsively. Same as stealing a toy from a store. Impulsive emotion, act. There is no space for thinking about consequences.

The real crime here, in my opinion, was allowing any type of access to a lethal weapon. If the mother wanted a gun in the home, it should have been secured in a gun safe, with a combination.

Hate to have to say this but IMO, if he had not figured out a way to obtain the gun, he most likely would have just gone into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. JMO He appeared to be very determined.

 

[mickey2942]

No. Even at 10 years old you know the difference between right and wrong....and you know shooting your mother in the face with a gun is wrong.

Long term consequences don't even come into it.

It was an impulsive reaction. The real crime? Was allowing a child to have access to a lethal weapon.

We can "agree to disagree". This was not a "normal" ten year old child. Any time a mental health professional recommends cameras to be placed in a home, that is extreme.

 

[borndem]

I don't agree with this. A child doesn't understand the long term consequences of an impulsive decision. The "choice" to kill his mother because she didn't buy him a toy on Amazon was a "snapshot" of him, doing something impulsively. Same as stealing a toy from a store. Impulsive emotion, act. There is no space for thinking about consequences.

The real crime here, in my opinion, was allowing any type of access to a lethal weapon. If the mother wanted a gun in the home, it should have been secured in a gun safe, with a combination.

bbm.
Ab.so.lute.ly.

 

[borndem]

If he goes into the juvenile justice system he will be released when he is 18 and his criminal record will be sealed (iirc).
He is most likely too dangerous to be released, JMO.

bbm

Anyone remember Eric Smith, the 13 y/o red-haired boy who killed a 4 y/o little boy who lived nearby? He was tried as an adult -- by the time of the trial, he had turned 14 y/o. He was released from prison after 28 years.
Just a thought.
. . . . . . . . .
Not the same as this one, but similar. Different state, probably different laws.
------------------------------------------------------------
Eric M. Smith is an American murderer who, at the age of thirteen, tortured and murdered a four-year-old child, Derrick Joseph Robie, in Steuben County, New York, on August 2, 1993. Wikipedia
Born: 1980 (age 42 years), Steuben County, NY
[...]
Conviction(s): Second-degree murder
Criminal penalty: Nine years to life in prison (paroled in 2022)
--------------------
Source:

Google Search

www.google.com

 

[killarney rose]

I remember Eric. iMO he should still be locked up.

 

[youarethecoffin]

Interesting. This child has definite mental health issues. I wouldn't see why he should be treated as an adult at age 10.

agreed. i just think of ed kemper when i see people asking to go easy on killer kids... they can grow up to be pretty terrifying. this was not reacting against an abuser, this was spoiled behavior taken to the extreme.

 

[youarethecoffin]

Hate to have to say this but IMO, if he had not figured out a way to obtain the gun, he most likely would have just gone into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. JMO He appeared to be very determined.

exactly!! this wasn't an impulsive decision like stealing a toy, he actively searched for the key to the safe. he is dangerous and should not be out at 18 or have the option to have his records expunged. even the more garden-variety troubled child would never shoot their own mother in the face. i hope he can get help, but for his sake and the sake of society, he should be locked up for a very long time.

 

[deadfoot13]

from what i have heard, you cant force anyone to get psych help until something happens. mental health care is broken in this nation.

And to add to that, it requires that the person actually engage in the treatment for it to even be a little effective. So you can't force someone to seek help, and you can't force someone to accept help. It's all about personal freedom at the expense of everyone else.

Mental health treatment is not broken here in the US, it's non-existent for anything that can't be held in check by pouring meds down a person's throat. When drugs don't work and the individual causes enough harm to those around them, the next option is placement in a residential setting, where they will continue to not receive any form of effective treatment. It's really shameful.

Even if this kid winds up being charged as a juvenile and placed in a facility for minors, the only "treatment" he will receive is skill-building for successful living on the inside -- he'll learn how to function in a strictly supervised setting where his every move is directed by someone else, and he'll learn how to abide by those tight rules so he can earn whatever privileges are offered. And then when he's all grown up they will set him free where he has no rules or restrictions and has never learned the skills to be successful in an unstructured environment, so he'll be back inside after he's harmed a few more people.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

No. Even at 10 years old you know the difference between right and wrong....and you know shooting your mother in the face with a gun is wrong.

Long term consequences don't even come into it.

Of course you know right from wring at 10 years old, however, a 10 year old brain simply lacks the ability to understand the long term consequences, so it's not a black and white situation.
Of course he knew it was wrong, and he absolutely needs to be somewhere that he cannot be a danger to others, especially if it turns out he is a sociopath (I am not trying to diagnose him as such, it's just an example and MOO) after further testing because then he would never be remorseful, but charging him as an adult, or any child for that matter as the article states any child 10 and above charged with murder in Wisconsin is automatically charged in adult court, which is beyond absurd, is not right. 10 yr old children do not possess the comprehension needed to be able to process the long term consequences of their actions, and that absolutely should come into it.
All MOO.