An 8-year-old boy in Birmingham, Ala. has been charged with murder in the death of 1-year-old girl that was left in his care, according to AL.
The boy, whose name has not been revealed, is the youngest person to be charged in Jefferson County for a long time. The girl, Kelci Lewis, was left in the boy's care, along with six other children, when her death took place, according to CBS News.
Katerra Lewis, the mother of baby Kelci, is facing manslaughter charges due to her leaving the child with an 8-year-old while she partied at a nightclub. The boy's mother has not been charged with any crimes and has not been identified. "This is one of the most heartbreaking investigations that I have seen in over 30 years of my law enforcement career,'' said Birmingham police Chief A.C. Roper.
The boy began beating Kelci because she would not stop crying, Birmingham police spokesman Sean Edwards said, according to The Washington Post. The child's death was attributed to damaged organs and head trauma. "This is by far one of the saddest cases that I have witnessed and been a part of since I became a police officer," Edwards said. "This type of irresponsibility on behalf of a parent is totally unacceptable."
"There are just too many deep rooted issues in this horrific crime. It's extremely troubling from so many different angles and there are no law enforcement answers to prevent it,'' Roper said. "We've been concerned about the kids and the future effect on their lives. The bottom line is an innocent young baby lost her life and that should be a wake-up call for our community."
A warrant has been issued against the boy, who is currently being housed by Alabama's Department of Human Resources. Lewis found little Kelci dead in her crib, police said. There is no minimum age for prosecution in Alabama, said Tobie Smith, co-director of the Southern Juvenile Detention Center.
