9 Murderous Minors (ages 6-12)
Warning: This post contains cases with child victims
Criteria I used:
Sharon Carr, age 12
Camberley, Surrey, England - 1992
In the early morning hours, 18-year-old Katie Racliffe suffered 32 knife wounds in a random attack on the street while walking home. She was slashed and stabbed all over her body, including her genitals and anus. Due to what police reasoned to be a sexual crime in nature, they believed their suspect would be an adult male. However, this could not be further from the truth. Carr, the true killer, was found out two years later in 1994, when she was imprisoned for stabbing a classmate. While in a medical center to be assessed after the attack, Carr violently attacked staff members and other patients. She was subsequently moved to a juvenile detention center, where she began bragging about Katie’s murder to fellow inmates and her family members. When her diaries were searched, it was discovered that Carr had gleefully written about her enjoyment in the killing and how the act was a “mass turn-on.”
Dubbed “the devil’s daughter” in the press, Sharon was tried in 1997 for Katie’s murder and sentenced to a minimum of 14 years in a closed prison. There, she was given the status of a “restricted inmate”. This title declared her a serious danger to others, who could not be trusted to abide by prison standards and expectations. In the UK, female inmates are classified as “open”, “semi-open”, “closed” and “restricted”. These classes are based on the severity of the inmates’ crimes, escape risk, and trustworthiness. Each class comes with different privileges or lack thereof, along with extra precautions taken for the prisoners deemed more dangerous. Sharon was denied her request to have her status reduced and to be moved to an “open prison”. Open prisons are the most “lenient”, granting inmates work release and home visits. As of 2022, Sharon remains incarcerated.
Evan Savoie and Jake Eakin, age 12
Ephrata, Washington, US - 2003
Craig Sorger, a friendly and compassionate boy with autism, was invited to play one day by Savoie and Jake Eakin. Craig was lured to Oasis Park, where he was distracted and then ambushed, with a large rock being dropped on his neck by Savoie. Both boys stabbed the injured boy, and beat him with a tree branch. Eakin accepted a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Savoie, which is when the details of the murder were finally revealed. After serving a 14 year sentence (extended due to an escape while on work-release) Eakin is now a born-again Christian and full-time anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ activist who often protests outside of Planned Parenthood locations. Savoie received a reduced sentence of 20 years, and is still in prison as of 2024.
Jamarion Lawhorn, age 12
Kentwood, Michigan, USA - 2014
Connor Verkerke was only 9 years old when he and his brother met Jamarion on the playground of Pinebrook Village Mobile Home Park. Connor, was described by loved ones as a funny, sweet, and gender-fluid child, with a passion for dance, theater, and music. Given that Connor was also a compassionate child, he was of course welcoming to the other boy who wanted to play with him and his brother. The boys played together for roughly 20 minutes before the day took a brutal turn. Jamarion suddenly took out a kitchen knife he had hidden in the sand, and fatally stabbed Connor 4 times. The suicidal Jamarion then borrowed a cellphone from a neighbor and called 9-1-1, confessing to the crime and begging to be executed. At home, Jamarion faced severe neglect and physical abuse from his parents that greatly harmed his mental state, and contributed to his violent outburst. He was arrested and charged as an adult with first-degree murder. It was while behind bars that the abuse came to light, and Jamarion’s parents were each tried and convicted of third-degree child abuse. This crime in Michigan is defined as the intentional physical harm to a child, and is classified as a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of 2 years. Jamarion served a combined sentence on probation and in a youth home until the age of 21. He is now a free man, and considered a success story in juvenile offender rehabilitation.
Ethan Austin, age 12
Kennewick, Washington US - 2014
When Ethan and Kaitlin “Kadie” Austin were discovered deceased from gunshot wounds on Kate’s bedroom floor one June afternoon, the deaths shocked the Hansen Park community where they lived. Tragically, the deaths were the result of an intentional murder-suicide carried out by Ethan. After arriving home from school one June afternoon, the young boy shot his 16-year-old half-sister a total of 8 times, with five of those shots being to her head. Her body showed evidence of sexual assault. Once finished, Ethan then turned the gun on himself and ended his own life with a single gunshot to his head. As unusual as the case may seem, suicides in children ages 5-11 years old rose substantially during the past decade; by a reported 15% every year between 2012-2017. The day of the murder-suicide, Ethan’s classmates reported that the usually outgoing boy had come off as very withdrawn, with outward signs that something was wrong.
Andrew Golden, age 11, Mitchell Johnson, age 13
Jonesboro, Arkansas, US - 1998
“Drew” Golden and his friend, 13y/o Mitchell Johnson were responsible for one of the deadliest school shootings of the 90s prior to Columbine (13 months later). The pair pulled a fire alarm before fleeing to the woods, where they shot at the crowd evacuating the building. 5 people were killed, 4 of whom were girls aged 11-12. The 5th (and 6th) victim was a pregnant teacher who died while shielding an injured student. A total of 10 students were injured, including Johnson’s own cousin. Both boys had displayed disturbing behavior prior to the event, including bullying, molestation, and animal cruelty. The pair were captured before they could escape, tried and convicted as juveniles. They were both released upon turning 21.
José Ángel Ramos Betts, aged 11
Torreón Coahuila, Mexico - 2020
Despite the high levels of other violent crimes, school shootings in Mexico remain few and far between. In the years between 2009-2018, there were only 8 incidents reported. José Betts at just 11 years old became Mexico’s youngest school shooter. At his middle school, Colegio Cervantes, José excused himself to the bathroom where he changed into the same outfit worn by Eric Harris during the Columbine massacre– all black trousers, suspenders, and a white “Natural Selection” t-shirt. Upon exiting the restroom, he was confronted by his teacher María Assaf Medina, who asked him to put down the automatic .22 and .40 caliber weapons he’d gotten from his grandfather. José instead announced “Hoy va a ser el día” (“today is going to be the day”, a warning the boy had mysteriously said earlier that morning) before opening fire. Señora Medina was shot dead immediately, 5 students and 1 teacher were injured in the shooting. At approximately 8:43 am, José turned the gun on himself. Prior to the shooting, the boy had no reports of bad conduct, despite his rough home life. He enjoyed video games such as Natural Selection, and made Fortnite videos under the name Angelisho on his youtube. Further inquiry discovered that José’s grandfather, a drug trafficker suspected of killing his wife, gave the guns to the boy knowing his intentions and claiming that he could not stop the child. Since the shooting, Colegio Cervantes improved school security, beginning with regular backpack checks. If you look up this case, please note that there are extremely graphic photos of the deceased that come up in image search results.
“George“ Scott (12) and “John” Yates (10)
East Baton Rouge, Louisiana - USA
On February 12, a phone call was made to 9-1-1, prompting the police of East Baton Rouge to rush to a dilapidated building on O’Neal Lane, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The phone call had been made by one of 8 children who were living in the house. The boy told dispatchers that he and the other children were home alone, and that 3-year-old Blessing Buckles was hurt. He was unable to provide the address of the home. Upon finally finding the house, first responders found the little girl unresponsive and covered in bruises and abrasions. She was suffering from a brain bleed and multiple injuries from blunt-force trauma. Little Blessing would never wake up. Blessing’s mother, Dineshia Yates, and aunt Terica Scott, had been out at a casino at the time her fatal injuries had been inflicted. The pair had left their children by themselves, despite the age range of the children being from 11 months to 12 years old. This had been a common occurrence within the dysfunctional household. Even more horrifying, Terica was fully aware that George had violent tendencies, and had previously hurt others before, leaving bruises on at least one girl in the residence. Neither adult acted when their children asked for help. George and John were both arrested on charges of simple battery and second-degree murder, and arrested and booked at a juvenile detention center. Tenica and Dineshia were both arrested as well, both charged with principal to second-degree murder and principal to simple battery.
“Johnny Doe”, age 7
Nixon, Texas, USA - 2022
For two years, the random killing of Brandon O’Quinn Rasberry in his RV at the Lazy J RV Park had been cold, with no viable suspects in his case. Rasberry had been new to the area, and investigators struggled to find any leads that would explain the sudden killing of the 37-year-old man. Law enforcement could never have predicted their answer to come from the confession of a 10-year-old. During his assessment, Johnny Doe admitted to taking the unsecured handgun from the glovebox of his grandfather’s truck. He then entered the RV while Brandon was asleep on the couch, and fired one shot into Brandon’s head and another into the couch. He casually left the RV, replaced the gun, and carried on as if nothing had happened. Brandon had been a complete stranger to Johnny, having only lived in the trailer park for four days. In his confession, the boy acknowledged that Brandon had done nothing to prompt the boy to kill him or otherwise anger/upset him.
Texas Penal Code 8.07 clears minors of criminal responsibility until they reach the age of 10. Since Johnny was 7 years old at the time he committed the crime, he did not face charges for Brandon’s murder. He was, however, charged for his threats against his peer and removed from his elementary school. Given that he had killed before, Johnny was placed in an emergency psychiatric hold before being transferred to a juvenile detention facility. While Brandon’s family forgives their son’s killer, they argue that Texas law should be changed so that minors guilty of murder can be held accountable, regardless of their age. The family’s petition for a change in legislature also mentions that the American Psychiatric Association has found that children know right from wrong by the age of 7.
“Jane Middleton", age 6
Baytown, Houston, Texas, USA - 2018
Adrian Dreshuan Middleton probably thought that his two young children would be safe left alone in the car while he shopped for clothes at the Family Thrift Store. The children, 1-year-old Adrian Middleton Jr. and "Jane" (6), were given snacks, water, and a movie to watch in the air-conditioned car. In the 1 hour and 40 minutes that Adrian was shopping, Jane got angry at her younger brother when he started crying after she’d stopped playing with him. She wrapped the seatbelt around the boy’s neck, strangling him to death. Upon her father returning to the car, he noticed the young girl crying, admitting she had “done something bad" (some sources state she just thought little Adrian was sleeping). Adrian Sr. promptly called 9-1-1 and attempted to save his son by performing CPR. He has since been charged with child abandonment, while his daughter has been in the care of her grandmother.
Notable Cases:
Dedrick Owens
Mary Bell and Norma Bell
Anissa Weir and Morgan Geyser, the Slender Man stabbing
Robert Thompson and Jon Venables
Jasmine Richardson
Paris Bennett
The VR murder of Quiana Mann
Nevada-tan and the Sasebo Slashing