A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee is facing severe legal repercussions after allegedly suffocating her 8-year-old cousin, Demeria Hollingsworth, in a dispute over an iPhone. The incident, which has shocked the local community, occurred at their grandmother’s house, where the children were spending the summer.
Rayana Smith, Demeria's mother, expressed her heartbreak to WREG-TV. “Last time I saw my baby, she was smiling, giving me kisses, telling me she will see me when it’s time for her to come back home,” Smith recounted tearfully. “She’s never coming back home.”
Smith shared that she had received a call about the cousins arguing over an iPhone. Reflecting on the situation, she lamented, "I wish I would have just gone to get my kid. But they were having fun for the summer and I didn't think she would kill my baby."
The tragic event was captured on the home's surveillance cameras. According to prosecutors, the footage depicts a chilling sequence where the 12-year-old allegedly suffocated Demeria with clothes on the bed, then meticulously cleaned up the scene and repositioned Demeria's body to make it appear as though nothing had happened.
"I consider this to be one of the most disturbing, violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted," stated Prosecutor Frederick Agee.
The 12-year-old cousin, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, is facing charges of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors are pushing for the girl to be tried as an adult due to the gravity of the crime.
The cousin is set to turn 13 next week. The community and legal authorities alike are grappling with the implications of such a violent act committed by someone so young. This case has sparked a broader conversation about juvenile crime and the appropriate legal response.
This incident has left the community in shock and mourning, raising questions about the nature of youth violence and the role of technology in exacerbating conflicts. As the legal process unfolds, the family and community members are left to cope with the devastating loss of a young life and the profound consequences for another.
The tragic circumstances surrounding Demeria Hollingsworth’s death serve as a stark reminder of the potential for everyday disputes to escalate into unthinkable violence.
