Eight-Year-Old Charged with Murdering His Father

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:59:00 GMT

An eight-year-old Arizona boy is facing two counts of premeditated murder for the deaths of his father and his father’s friend. Police are investigating whether abuse played a role in the murders, even as they continue with plans to prosecute the child.

Soon after 29-year-old Vincent Romero and 39-year-old Timothy Romans, who was renting a room at the Romero house (pictured), were fatally shot, the boy went to a neighbor’s house and said that he believed his father was dead. Police immediately arrived on the scene, and claim to have gotten a confession from the child. But the boy’s lawyer is charging that officers questioned him too severely without the benefit of a parent or representative at his side. (The boy’s father had full custody, with the mother visiting from out-of-state on the weekends.)

"They became very accusing early on in the interview," attorney Benjamin Brewer said. "Two officers with guns at their side, it's very scary for anybody, for sure an 8-year-old kid."

Although the boy’s home was unknown to Child Protective Services, police had responded to domestic violence calls there in the past. The judge has ordered a psychological evaluation.

Under Arizona law, children as young as eight can be charged with crimes. Even though the town’s police chief understands that an eight-year-old does not “just decide that he’s going to shoot his father and shoot his father’s friend for no reason,” police are pushing to have the boy tried as an adult.

To me, the fact that the boy immediately alerted neighbors of the deaths indicates that he lacked the moral reasoning necessary to understand the emotional complexity and consequences of his acts. No one, no matter how young, should be excused for committing murder, but I will be heartbroken if this boy, well before his mental capacities are fully formed, faces murder charges as an adult.

As a defense attorney uninvolved in the case commented, “[S]ociety has to make a decision as to whether they want to start using the criminal justice system to deal with 8-year-olds. That doesn't mean you don't have a troubled kid."

Photo: AP

Boy Dies After Being Granted His Last Wish

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:35:00 GMT

Lorraine Fleming, whose son Reece died of cancer recently, is holding on to the comfort that Reece was granted his last wish before he died: to marry his school sweetheart.

After 8-year-old Reece, who had battled cancer for half of his life, was told that he had only a few weeks to live, he popped the big question to Elleanor Pursglove, his close friend of many years. She accepted, and on the appointed day, Elleanor arrived at Reece’s house in a wedding dress. Her mother acted as vicar as the school friends exchanged rings and vows. Reece, dressed in his favorite shirt, also presented Elleanor with a red rose.

Prior to getting “married,” Reece had told his mother, “I’m not ready to go yet.” But the night of the wedding, he seemed truly at peace. “Mum, I can go now,” he told Lorraine. He died the next day.

Reece had fulfilled many other life ambitions as well, such as riding in a Ferrari and a Porsche, having a pirate party, and spending a day at a fire station.

Photo: The Daily Mail

Strollerderby : eight year old

Eight-Year-Old Charged with Murdering His Father

Boy Dies After Being Granted His Last Wish