Boy, 8, Charged in Death of Infant Sister
By MITCH STACY, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 19, 7:38 PM
TAMPA, Fla. - Prosecutors charged an 8-year-old boy with aggravated manslaughter Tuesday for kicking and punching his infant half sister and then hitting her in the face with a two-by-four, killing her.
If convicted, he could be held in a juvenile facility until his 21st birthday.
"We thought that the juvenile system was the place for him, where he can get the help he needs," state attorney spokeswoman Pam Bondi said in announcing that prosecutors had decided to file the criminal charge.
It wasn't an easy decision.
Jayza Laney Simms was 7 months old when she was killed in the May 22 attack. The boy, who isn't being identified because of his age, was visiting his father, his father's girlfriend and their two daughters - Jayza and a toddler - at their home in east Tampa.
The adults were outside talking with friends after putting the children to bed when the boy came out and said the baby was bleeding, authorities said.
By the time the parents could get her to an emergency room, Jayza was dead.
The boy initially denied beating the baby. But he confessed later, after investigators reviewed autopsy results and confronted him again, authorities said. They said he was jealous of the attention showered on the baby and angry that night because she wouldn't stop crying.
Investigators had never seen a crime in which a young child had displayed "so much violence and so little remorse," police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.
Bondi said prosecutors struggled with how to handle it.
"We never thought we'd have to be researching how to charge an 8-year-old accused of such a terrible crime," Bondi said.
English common law dating back centuries says children under 8 can't be held accountable for their actions, and children are presumed to be unable to form criminal intent before about age 15.
Experts say there are fewer than a half-dozen cases of children 8 or younger who commit murder each year. In 2002, the most recent year for which statistics were available, there were just three, according to the FBI.
Jayza's brother will be tried in juvenile court for aggravated manslaughter if a plea deal isn't reached first.
Neither of the boy's parents has publicly discussed the case. He lived with his mother in Lakeland and visited his father.
By MITCH STACY, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 19, 7:38 PM
TAMPA, Fla. - Prosecutors charged an 8-year-old boy with aggravated manslaughter Tuesday for kicking and punching his infant half sister and then hitting her in the face with a two-by-four, killing her.
If convicted, he could be held in a juvenile facility until his 21st birthday.
"We thought that the juvenile system was the place for him, where he can get the help he needs," state attorney spokeswoman Pam Bondi said in announcing that prosecutors had decided to file the criminal charge.
It wasn't an easy decision.
Jayza Laney Simms was 7 months old when she was killed in the May 22 attack. The boy, who isn't being identified because of his age, was visiting his father, his father's girlfriend and their two daughters - Jayza and a toddler - at their home in east Tampa.
The adults were outside talking with friends after putting the children to bed when the boy came out and said the baby was bleeding, authorities said.
By the time the parents could get her to an emergency room, Jayza was dead.
The boy initially denied beating the baby. But he confessed later, after investigators reviewed autopsy results and confronted him again, authorities said. They said he was jealous of the attention showered on the baby and angry that night because she wouldn't stop crying.
Investigators had never seen a crime in which a young child had displayed "so much violence and so little remorse," police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.
Bondi said prosecutors struggled with how to handle it.
"We never thought we'd have to be researching how to charge an 8-year-old accused of such a terrible crime," Bondi said.
English common law dating back centuries says children under 8 can't be held accountable for their actions, and children are presumed to be unable to form criminal intent before about age 15.
Experts say there are fewer than a half-dozen cases of children 8 or younger who commit murder each year. In 2002, the most recent year for which statistics were available, there were just three, according to the FBI.
Jayza's brother will be tried in juvenile court for aggravated manslaughter if a plea deal isn't reached first.
Neither of the boy's parents has publicly discussed the case. He lived with his mother in Lakeland and visited his father.
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