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Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged a 13-year-old juvenile girl of Taylor, in connection with the fatal stabbing of a seven-year-old girl, also of Taylor. The victim is the sister of the juvenile. The respondent is being charged as a juvenile.

On September 28, 2024, at approximately 1:06 p.m., Taylor police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 14200 block of Banner Avenue for a reported stabbing. Upon their arrival, officers located the victim in the bathroom of the home, suffering from multiple stab wounds. Medics arrived on the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased.

At approximately 11:15 a.m., on September 28, 2024, the parents of the children left the house and had the juvenile respondent babysit for her seven-year-old sister. It is alleged that the juvenile and the victim had a verbal argument. After the verbal argument ended, it is alleged that the juvenile waited in the bathroom until the victim came in and stabbed her multiple times with a knife, fatally injuring her. After the attack the juvenile called 911.

The juvenile respondent has been charged with First Degree Premeditated Murder, Felony Murder and Child Abuse First Degree *

"There is absolutely no doubt that the facts in this case are horrific. It is beyond disturbing that the alleged person responsible for the stabbing death of her seven-year-old sister is thirteen years old, said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

"We considered adult designating her which is not the same thing as trying her as an adult. It gives the judge the option of sentencing the respondent as a juvenile, or as an adult, or giving a blended juvenile sentence with an option of imposing an adult sentence if the juvenile is not rehabilitated. Our other option was to keep her in the juvenile system. We opted to do just that. Given her young age, the State would have seven years to diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate her until her mandatory release at age 21. Hopefully then she would not be a danger to others. While this is a difficult decision given these facts, it is the right thing to do in this case."

Judge Sheila Gibson remanded the juvenile this afternoon at the preliminary hearing in the Lincoln Hall of Justice. A bond review hearing is scheduled for October 3, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., also before Judge Sheila Gibson.

*The charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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