A twelve year old girl in Tennessee is accused of killing her eight year old cousin Demeria Hollingsworth
According to police reports the twelve year old girl, who has not been named publicly due to her age, and her eight year old cousin Demeria Hollingsworth were involved in an argument over an IPhone
The twelve year old girl would suffocate Demeria Hollingsworth with blankets until she died then rearranged the body. The entire murder was caught on video from the family’s closed circuit security system
The Twelve year old has been charged with first degree murder. Right now prosecutors are attempting to get the twelve year old tried in adult court where she could face a potential life sentence
Update – La’Quvanah Parson has been named as the teen charged with the murder
Demeria Hollingsworth News
A 12-year-old girl in Humboldt, Tennessee, is being charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors say video shows her suffocating her 8-year-old cousin in a bunk bed they shared.
The girl, who will turn 13 next week, allegedly used bedding to suffocate her cousin, then cleaned up the victim and repositioned her body, say investigators who reviewed home security video of the incident.
The victim’s mother, Rayana Smith, identified her as Demeria Hollingsworth. She remembered Demeria was always smiling, doing well in school, and hugging her little sister.
“She liked to read books, go swimming, play outside, ride her bike every day, play with the kids in the neighborhood, play with my friends’ kids. My baby was sweet,” Smith said
Smith said the girls were staying with their grandmother in Humboldt for the summer. She says the issue stemmed over an argument over an iPhone.
“When they told me about that, I should have just gone to get my kid,” she said. “But they were having fun for the summer and I didn’t think she would kill my baby.”
It’s difficult for Smith to wrap her head around what happened to her daughter.
“She did nothing to deserve for her life to be taken,” Smith said. “She was only 8 years old. She just turned 8 in April.”
Frederick Agee, District Attorney General for the 28th District in West Tennessee, said his office is petitioning Juvenile Judge Mark Johnson to transfer the child to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult.
“I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted,” Agee said in a statement posted to the office’s social media page.
The 12-year-old is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.
Smith is hoping for the maximum sentence.
“Last time I seen my baby, she was smiling, giving me kisses, telling me she will see me when it’s time for her to come back home. She never coming back home. She never coming back home,” Smith said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help with funeral costs.
Demeria Hollingsworth More News
A 13-year-old girl was indicted by a grand jury Monday morning.
La’Quvanah Parson, 13, is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence, according to District Attorney Frederick Agee.
“I’ve been the DA for almost four years now and this is the worst case that I’ve had to prosecute,” said District Attorney Frederick Agee.
Parson is accused of killing her cousin 8-year-old cousin Demeria Hollingsworth in July.
Parson was 12 at the time of the murder, according to Agee.
Demeria Hollingsworth was found dead in her grandmother’s home July 15, after Humboldt Police say her cousin, Parson, suffocated her in her bed.
District Attorney for the 28th District of Tennessee Frederick Agee says the teenager has been transferred to adult court and indicted for murder and tampering with evidence.
“If she were to be kept as a juvenile, she would’ve been released as early as age 18,” said Agee. “And for our office, prioritizing and protecting the community, that’s just simply not enough time.”
Police say video shows Parson using bedding and her full weight to suffocate Demeria, then cleaning up and repositioning her body.
An investigator working closely with the case says a working motive is that Parson had taken her cousin’s phone days before the murder.
They say Demeria told someone Parson took her phone and wouldn’t give it back to her.
Both of the girls were visiting Humboldt at the time.
“We’re going to do our part to try to make sure that we get accountability and justice for Demeria,” said Agee. “But also we’ve got to look at the rehabilitation side for La’Quavanah Parson.”
Parson was transferred to adult court by Judge Mark Johnson after a transfer hearing on September 24, according to Agee.
As word of Demeria’s death spread, her elementary school in Nashville, where she lived, held a candlelight vigil in her memory.
“She was very energetic, always happy, outgoing, smart, she made straight A’s, she always made the principal’s list. She was my girl,” said Demeria’s grandmother, Tamara Pullum.
Parson is expected to have an arraignment hearing in the coming days.
Jury indicts 13-year-old for killing her 8-year-old cousin in Humboldt
