NewStats: 3,262,528 , 8,177,381 topics. Date: Monday, 02 June 2025 at 02:55 PM 4e6o72

A 12-year-old girl is facing charges including first-degree murder after police in Tennessee said video captured her smothering her 8-year-old cousin to death, reportedly after an argument over an iPhone.

The county's top prosecutor reported the killing took place in a bedroom the cousins were sharing at a home in Humboldt, about 90 miles northwest of Memphis.

Frederick H. Agee, the District Attorney General for the state's 28th Judicial District, which includes Haywood, Crockett and Gibson counties, released in a statement Thursday.

Footage of the crime obtained by the Humboldt Police Department shows the 12-year-old girl used bedding to suffocate her 8-year-old cousin, "while the victim was sleeping in the top bunk of bunk beds they shared."

"After the suffocation, the juvenile cleaned up the victim and repositioned her body," the statement continues.

The slain girl's school in Nashville identified the victim as 8-year-old Demeria Hollingsworth.

According to the prosecutor, the 12-year-old girl turns 13 this week.

Agee said Humboldt police filed a petition of delinquency charging the juvenile with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

"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 wrote in his statement.

"Due to the horrendous nature of this crime and under Tennessee Law the Juvenile Court loses jurisdiction after a juvenile turns 19, and therefore, the juvenile would be free from any further detention, supervision, or court-ordered mental health treatment, our office is petitioning Juvenile Judge Mark Johnson to transfer the delinquent child to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult."

Under the law, the move would allow for a lengthier sentence, whether through incarceration or supervised release.

Police have not released a motive in the killing.

Neither the victim nor the accused juvenile live in Humboldt, according to the release which said both children were visiting family.

On Monday, Metro Nashville Public Schools confirmed to USA TODAY the victim attended school in Music City and would "be greatly missed."

“The Cockrill community is mourning the unexpected loss of Demeria Hollingsworth, a beloved student who had been part of Cockrill since PreK," Cockrill Elementary Principal Casey Campbell confirmed. "Demeria was known for her hard work, intelligence, and sweet demeanor. She was cherished by everyone who knew her. Her ing has left all of us at Cockrill devastated.”

The victim's mother, Rayana Smith told WREG-TV her daughter Demeria and her cousin "had been arguing over an iPhone after coming from out of town to stay with their grandmother."

“She was very energetic, always happy, outgoing, smart, she made straight A’s she always made the principles list she was my girl, it’s a senseless incident, accident, what we people want to call it, to me a tragedy. She well be truly missed,” Tamara Pullum, Demeria's grandmother told WSMV-TV.

USA TODAY has reached out to the victim's family.

"Please keep the victim’s family and the Humboldt Police Department in your thoughts and prayers," Agee said.

The case remained under investigation by police Monday.

Pictures of the dead child:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/07/22/12-year-old-girl-accused-cousin-demeria-hollingsworth-smothering-death/74495976007/

Uwa ntor gi.
world we live in.
Ma pu to pe ero eko ni wa le.

"After the suffocation, the juvenile cleaned up the victim and repositioned her body," the statement continues.

How did a 12 year old acquire this type of demonic mentality?😭

This points to a huge parenting failure.

In the US,not only adults are psychotic, but children as well.
Most often psychotics begin their behaviour as children, often exhibiting hideous cruelty towards animals and carrying out unimaginable acts of destruction of properties in revolution against firm display of authority.
When you see a child torturing an animal, VOILA!
You are seeing a psychotic killer in the making.
Immediate commitment to a mental institution is absolutely necessary.

TruthHurts1:


How did a 12 year old acquire this type of demonic mentality?😭

This points to a huge parenting failure.

Not just the parents but majorly the system, a system where the law forces parents to reduce on children and allows children to make adult decisions without parental guidance...

Look at California, see how they keep ing laws to reduce the rights of parents over their children, where children can call the police on their parents and so on....

Now the same government that gives the child so much liberty while reducing the liberty of the parents over the child is the same government coming to prosecute the child, now they are actually trying her as an adult due to the level of the crime.

The government over there be acting as if they love the children more than their parents but when shit happens, the parents are the ones at the receiving end, I still blame Americans though in the name of being liberal accepted some rubbish laws over time....

What tribe were their slave great great grand parents taken from??

America's problem should remain in America

Uwa emebigo! See wetin phone technology don cause now. The beginning of the end.

Different strokes for different folks

Tinubu A.K.A opolo eyes is a wicked man

Tooo bad

American be say na Satan dey rule them in disguise...

Let sm1 tell me d 12 yr old wasn't influenced with what she saw on TV

This gender is the worst thing that has ever happened to humanity.

If you're still married to anyone 9ja girl, kindly divorce her now. They are all the same.

At the Age of 12 - 13

Jesus please come 🙏 🙏🙏

I think we are running out of time 😔😔😔

She must have learned that killing act from Ogun State Alfas.

"Footage of the crime obtained by the Humboldt Police Department shows the 12-year-old girl used bedding to suffocate her 8-year-old cousin, "while the victim was sleeping in the top bunk of bunk beds they shared."

"After the suffocation, the juvenile cleaned up the victim and repositioned her body," the statement continues."


A 12 year old did this

Ha.....This is devilish !!!

Speechless

adioolayi:
This is devilish

Hnmmm ! At that age !!!

She even knows how to cover it up

Here in the state...no kids or adult...everybody is the same...when a child act ya gonna marvel...the other day outside home,8years old boy pulled a calliber revolver and pop!! at his step-father just cuss he steped on his nerve...AFRICAN KIDS ARE NOT THIS WILD...thank GOD for them.....GOD BLESS AFRICA.

Blacksavage:
American be say na Satan dey rule them in disguise...

j

When you are obsessed with money, cars, things and wealth and you value wealth against humanity, you it on to your children and they become worse than you
.
But when you teach your children to regard all men as one, rich or poor, young or old, you help the helpless and are kind; they take after you.

Teach your children that to live right and money solves problems, but the love of Money is the root of ALL evil

Dont over react when you are sad

Augustine2244:
In the US,not only adults are psychotic, but children as well.
Most often psychotics begin their behaviour as children, often exhibiting hideous cruelty towards animals and carrying out unimaginable acts of destruction of properties in revolution against firm display of authority.
When you see a child torturing an animal, VOILA!
You are seeing a psychotic killer in the making.
Immediate commitment to a mental institution is absolutely necessary.

Exactly the type that takes a gun to school and starts shooting, killing everyone.

GreenxGreen:
At the Age of 12 - 13

Jesus please come 🙏 🙏🙏

I think we are running out of time 😔😔😔

lol the matter shock me too

Good to hear that she will be tried as an adult. Evil kids commit can't continue doing bad things and geting away with it all the time.

Too bad NCAN got confused.

Afonjah:
What tribe were their slave great great grand parents taken from??

SaLongs1:
Too bad NCAN got confused.

We can still trace their roots from the port their ancestor was transported from.