Fort Worth Star-Telegram
10-year-old tries to kill infant at mom’s urging through online game, Florida cops say
BY OLIVIA LLOYD
UPDATED OCTOBER 21, 2024 5:08 PM
A mom messaged her 10-year-old on a gaming platform about how to kill an infant family member, leading to an attempt to carry out those instructions, Florida authorities said.
The 36-year-old woman is charged with attempted murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Oct. 21.
McClatchy News is not identifying the woman to protect the victims’ identities.
The Pensacola woman began communicating with her 10-year-old daughter through Roblox, an online game with a messaging feature, and gave the child directions for how to kill a 2-month-old baby and other adults in the home where the 10-year-old was temporarily living, deputies said.
Her attorney, James Barnes, said she “vehemently” denies the allegations and said it’s possible that someone else got into her account and sent those messages.
He added she’s looking forward to her day in court.
On Oct. 17, deputies said they received a call from child welfare advocates about a 10-year-old “purposefully” dropping an infant on the kitchen floor tile, leaving the baby with serious injuries.
They learned the mother had given her child directions for various ways to carry out killings of her nephew and others in the home, deputies said. The child even doused bed sheets with aerosol spray after being told that doing so and setting them ablaze would burn the house down, according to authorities.
The 10-year-old said she was afraid of what would happen if she didn’t obey her mother, deputies said.
The mom is involved in another ongoing child abuse case, Escambia County records show.
“I have been in law enforcement for over 40 years and have never seen anything quite like this,” Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said. “I am truly disturbed by the circumstances and the thought that anyone could think like this, let alone instruct these acts to be carried out.”
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.
Escambia County is the westernmost county in the Florida Panhandle.
If you suspect a child has experienced, is currently experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, your first step should be to contact the appropriate agency. The Child Welfare Information Gateway has a list of state agencies you can contact. Find help specific to your area here.
For additional help, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline has professional crisis counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. You can call or text 1-800-422-4453.
If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call 911 for help.
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