GUILTY AL - Kelci Lewis, 1, beaten to death, Birmingham, 11 Oct 2015

Indy Anna

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[snipped]

An 8-year-old boy has been charged with murder in Birmingham, Ala., where the police said Tuesday that he had “viciously attacked” a toddler whose mother had left children alone while she visited one of the city’s nightclubs.

[....]

[Katerra M. Lewis, the mother] was released from jail on Monday after posting a $15,000 bond, according to a Sheriff’s Office record. She was held, the agency said, for less than 90 minutes.

Read more at ....

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/11/us/alabama-8-year-old-charged-with-murder-in-toddlers-beating.html

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Ugh! Six young children left alone while adults partied. :sick:
 
[snipped]

Police said some point that night, the 8-year-old boy "viciously attacked" the 1-year-old little girl because she wouldn't stop crying. She ultimately died from severe head trauma and major internal organ damage.

Police say Katerra Lewis, 26, left her 1-year-old daughter Kelci Lewis alone at the home, along with at least five other children ranging from 2 to 8 years old, to go clubbing with her friend, the homeowner and mother of the other children.

[...]

The mothers got home around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11 but did not check on their children, Edwards said in a news conference on Tuesday. Police weren't called until 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 11 and at that point, it was too late for little Kelci.

Police say when Katerra Lewis got up the next morning, she found her 1-year-old daughter unresponsive in her crib where the 8-year-old placed her after killing her.

Lt. Edwards said if the mothers had checked on the children when they got home, police would have probably arrived earlier and with medical help, there's a chance that Kelci's death could have been prevented.

Read more at ...

http://www.wtvm.com/story/30483675/...old-left-alone-while-their-moms-went-clubbing


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RIP Kelci :rose:
 
So very, very sad. Six children under 8 left to fend for themselves? Crazy.

I think if you can afford to go clubbing you can afford a sitter, or at the very least beg a friend or neighbor.

RIP little girl.
 
Oh, no :( I wonder if the 8 year old really did this, or if one of the adults is using him as a scapegoat. Either way, it's the adults are to blame here and not an 8 year old child :(
 
Katerra Lewis (mom) has been charged with manslaughter

http://www.wbrc.com/story/30483675/8-year-old-charged-with-murder-of-1-year-old-left-without-supervision

Katerra Lewis stays at the home in the 7100 block of 2nd Avenue South with her friend, who is the mother of the 8-year-old boy charged with murder and the four other children who were left at the home. He said Lewis and her friend left their kids alone around 11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 to go to the club, according to police.

The mothers got home around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11 but did not check on their children, Edwards said in a news conference on Tuesday. Police weren't called until 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 11 and at that point, it was too late for little Kelci.

How are both these "mothers" not charged with neglect and everything else LE could throw at them? Parents being held accountable for their kid's actions and well being needs to start NOW.
 
Oh, no :( I wonder if the 8 year old really did this, or if one of the adults is using him as a scapegoat. Either way, it's the adults are to blame here and not an 8 year old child :(

I read a yahoo article (sorry no link) that said another sibling witnessed what happened and told police.
 
horrible case. I fully expect charges against both mothers to come. SIX children all under 8 years old. I am angry beyond words.

Priorities. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. :(
 
this link says mother of Kelci has been charged. It is a start. I expect some sort of neglect charges for the mother of the 8 year old as well.

The mother of the infant, 26-year-old Katerra Lewis, was charged with manslaughter for her role in the death of the girl after a six year old who was in the home that night told police what happened.

[...]

attachment.php


The information the six-year-old shared with police was consistent with the toddler's injuries.

Kelci Lewis suffered severe head trauma and major damage to her internal organs, police said.

[...]

The other children were aged two, four, six and seven


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-beating-death-1-year-old.html#ixzz3rC5HvASP

 
I am so disgusted by this story I'm almost speechless. How do two "mothers" come to the conclusion that it is a good idea to go out bar hopping, leaving an 8yr old in charge of a one, two, four, six and seven year old? Then, to not even check on the babies when they come in? How long did baby Kelci suffer from her injuries before death finally took her?

I also find that "mom" getting a $15k bond for manslaughter deplorable, and don't even get me started on the other "mom" not even facing any charges. I just don't understand how the 8yr old is going to be the one bearing the burnt of the punishment here.
 
I just don't understand how the 8yr old is going to be the one bearing the burnt of the punishment here.

I really really hope that given that the boy is EIGHT, the emphasis is on rehabilitation and not punishment. I'm not even sure if he realized what he was doing. I mean, yes, surely he knew he was hitting the baby, but I wouldn't be surprised if he'd seen adults do that before when the baby was crying. Even if not, I doubt he was thinking "if I hit her too hard she could die", but "if I hit her hard enough she'll be quiet."

Very sad. And very, very negligent mother.
 
I really really hope that given that the boy is EIGHT, the emphasis is on rehabilitation and not punishment. I'm not even sure if he realized what he was doing. I mean, yes, surely he knew he was hitting the baby, but I wouldn't be surprised if he'd seen adults do that before when the baby was crying. Even if not, I doubt he was thinking "if I hit her too hard she could die", but "if I hit her hard enough she'll be quiet."

Very sad. And very, very negligent mother.

In an article linked above, the police spokesman is quoted as saying the 8 year old will require intense counseling for years. I can't imagine there is any other goal here, than to get this kid help.
 
the daily mail link also states this will be handle in family (juvenile) court. So even as he faces serious adult charges there appears to be a process in place for young minors charged thus.

I recall a case a while back where two minor girls killed their brother who the parents had left in charge of them. They were charged as adults but the family history was horrific and the older sister who actually pulled the trigger had huge trauma and abuse in her past. She had been scapegoated by her family and held prisoner in in her room with her older brother assigned as her "jailer" by their parents.

The case was handled by juvenile court in part so that she could receive the help she so desperately needed and had been denied by family for years. WS Link

I hope this case is handled similarly. I have a really hard time with charging an 8 year old as an adult. It would seem a no brainer that an 8 year old is nowhere even close to an adult and should not be held to adult standards. But sometimes such harsh charges to a minor child gets them into the system and puts them in line for badly needed help and intervention.
 
Yes, the 6 described what she saw but she could easily have been coached by an adult. I just hope LE are really really sure they have the right person. They way LE described the injuries to the baby makes me wonder if an 8 year old would have the strength to inflict them. Unless the kid used a weapon or threw the baby down the stairs or something :(
 
He said investigators are still struggling to process how an 8-year-old could even have "that much evil in his heart" to kill the little girl.
...

Edwards said they believe the 8-year-old caused all of the bruises that were seen on Kelci Lewis' body, and that the coroner's report shows the toddler was beaten.

“The 8-year-old just recklessly, viciously dealt with the 1-year-old. If you can imagine…the damage that it takes to cause severe blunt trauma to the head and organs, it’s pretty rough," he said.
...
"It's hard to process an 8-year-old actually going to that level of extreme violence..."
http://www.fox10tv.com/story/304836...-while-their-moms-went-clubbing#ixzz3r88Qr6LT
 
I've been following this case and hoping it would get listed here - I was too nervous to start a thread myself. :blushing:

The mother immediately started a gimmecash fund that appears to have been taken down. Of course she did.

Anyway, I agree that the boy needs some heavy therapy to ensure he doesn't repeat his violent behavior down the road but unfortunately prison isn't the place where he'll get it. I also agree that he probably didn't intend to kill little Kelci, just shut her up but I do wonder if it was something he learned from his mother.

And as for her, yep, LE please throw the book at her.

The day after the vigil, Katerra Lewis posted on her Facebook that she was suffering following the loss of her child. "I keep asking can dey bring u back and take me instead."

DHR spokesman Barry Spear said the agency had no prior involvement with Katerra Lewis or Kelci. Privacy laws, he said, prevent him from commenting about the 8-year-old suspect.

Callens told AL.com today that she disputes what police are saying happened. She insists that there was another adult in the home with the children. "Katerra is not the type of parent that they are trying to portray her as,'' Callens said. "We all will have our day in court. Never judge a book by its cover, which means don't try to judge from the outside."


http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/11/boy_8_charged_with_murder_in_t.html
 
I just saw this come along my Facebook feed ... The mothers involved need the book thrown at them. This little 8 yo is going to need intensive therapy and help. He NEVER should have been left in charge of six other children well into the wee hours (or at all, tbh). My heart breaks ... I don't understand the charges in this case at all. Heartbreaking.
 
Family members told the AL.com that Kelci’s mother, Katerra Lewis, 26, was staying with the family while she waited on approval for Section 8 housing.

Katerra Lewis was released Monday on a $15,000 bond.

The 8-year-old boy remains in the custody of the Department of Human Resources.

http://www.fox26houston.com/news/46986798-story

On 11 October, police said, Katerra Lewis and her friend left to go to a club at around 11.30pm. The women returned at around 2am, but did not check on Kelci until the following morning, according to Birmingham police spokesman Sean Edwards.

The police were called at 10am and arrived to find Kelci dead in her crib.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/eig...der-after-1-year-old-girl-is-beaten-to-death/

Social media comments (summarizing, not linked due to TOS) indicate that the 8 year old, who is now charged with murder, has a very troubled history.

News clip- 3 min. Confirms Katerra Lewis was staying with the mother of the 8 year old. All of the children are in CPS custody.

http://www.wfsb.com/story/30483675/...1-year-old-left-alone-while-mom-went-clubbing

20 min raw police news conference:

http://www.wfsb.com/clip/11990963/r...-conference-on-8-year-old-charged-with-murder

Note: The baby Kelci died October 10. Not sure why it took this long to hit the national news?

Mother of the 8 year old not facing any charges. Not sure what's up with that???? I think she should also face manslaughter charges.
 
I find it quite ironic that the mother could post a $15,000.00 bond ($1,500.00 in cash) in 90 minutes, but couldn't hire a proper babysitter?

I don't care how mature an 8-year-old appears to be... they are not capable of being the primary care taker of any child for a long period of time... let alone that many children. Especially so many toddlers and a 1-year-old baby! I also believe that the behavior the 8-year-old displayed towards Kelci was learned. That child had probably been beat themselves... and seen the other children beat as well. That child would not be able to grasp how fragile a one-year-old baby is and probably mocked what had been done to him and the other children.

I am not comfortable with this child being charged. I am all for BOTH mothers being charged. I do believe the child needs serious counseling and a good and loving home. I really hope something can be done to help. I also pray for the other children. What a horrible situation for all of them.

I also don't believe those mother's got home at 2:00am.
 
I find it quite ironic that the mother could post a $15,000.00 bond ($1,500.00 in cash) in 90 minutes, but couldn't hire a proper babysitter?

I don't care how mature an 8-year-old appears to be... they are not capable of being the primary care taker of any child for a long period of time... let alone that many children. Especially so many toddlers and a 1-year-old baby! I also believe that the behavior the 8-year-old displayed towards Kelci was learned. That child had probably been beat themselves... and seen the other children beat as well. That child would not be able to grasp how fragile a one-year-old baby is and probably mocked what had been done to him and the other children.

I am not comfortable with this child being charged. I am all for BOTH mothers being charged. I do believe the child needs serious counseling and a good and loving home. I really hope something can be done to help. I also pray for the other children. What a horrible situation for all of them.

I also don't believe those mother's got home at 2:00am.

BBM. I totally agree with everything you said, and as a local, so does everyone else around here. People are livid. Just to add, "mom" must have broke her piggy bank for the bond money because there's a gofund me account set up for baby Kelci's funeral arrangements. *Disgusted*
 

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