A 10-year-old boy is facing a first-degree murder charge after police say he fatally shot his infant niece Friday in St. Louis.
The father of the infant, 19-year-old Ca’Marion Pawnell, has also been charged. Police have identified the victim as Kiyomi Parker.
The shooting happened Friday inside a home on North Broadway in the Baden neighborhood. Once officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) arrived, they immediately rushed Kiyomi to the hospital, but the infant didn’t survive.
Pawnell told investigators the gun belonged to him and confirmed he’d placed it under the mattress where the 10-year-old said he found it.
Prosecutors charged Pawnell with second-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death and two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He’s currently being held without bond.
The 22nd Judicial Circuit says the 10-year-old was ordered to be placed in the protective custody of Missouri Children’s Division and is currently at a hospital where he is being psychiatrically evaluated.
The court’s Chief Communication Officer Joel Currier released a statement regarding the charges.
“As he is under 12 years old, the juvenile will not be subject to certification proceedings and therefore cannot be certified to be tried as an adult,” Currier said. “The Missouri State Legislature enacted section 211.071 RSMo, which states that juveniles 12 years of age and older can only be certified as adults for specific serious or dangerous felonies, while juveniles under the age of 12 cannot be prosecuted as adults for any reason. Therefore, the murder allegations pending in the juvenile’s case must be proceeded on exclusively within the Juvenile Court.
“The St. Louis Family Court-Juvenile Division’s mission is to administer justice with compassion, dignity and respect while promoting child protection, safe communities and youth competency while holding youths accountable, repairing harm to victims and strengthening families.”
The 10-year-old is reportedly the youngest person to be charged with first-degree murder in Missouri history.
