A 10-year-old boy in St. Louis has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting a 7-month-old infant in the head. The baby, Kiyomi Parker, later died from her injuries at a local hospital. Authorities responded to a shooting call at a St. Louis home on Friday, where they found the infant with a gunshot wound.
Court documents indicate witnesses reported seeing the boy retrieve a gun hidden under a mattress in a bedroom and fire it at the baby. The accused shooter told police he knew the gun's location, that it was accessible to him, and that he had handled it previously. A 7-year-old child was also present in the home during the incident.
Ca’Marion Pawnell, 19, the infant's father, has been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk. Pawnell confirmed to police that he had stashed the firearm where the juvenile suspect found it. His bond is set at no amount.
The 10-year-old is believed to be the youngest person ever charged with murder in Missouri. The relationship between the 10-year-old suspect and Pawnell was not immediately clear. The juvenile murder charge was filed in juvenile court.