A 10-year-old boy who shot and killed his 44-year-old mother in Milwaukee last week has been charged as an adult with first-degree homicide.
According to the criminal complaint, the boy was upset with his mother for waking him up early and not allowing him to order something from Amazon.
On Monday, Nov. 21, around 7 a.m., a fatal shooting occurred near 87th and Hemlock. According to police, the boy was playing with the gun when it discharged, striking his mother. The woman, Quiana Mann, was shot in the head and died as a result of her injuries.
According to the criminal complaint, the boy initially stated that he was twirling the gun around his finger when it “accidentally went off.” After murdering his mother, the boy woke up his sister, who discovered their mother’s death and called 911.
Due to his age, the boy was allowed to remain with his family. However, the following day, the family contacted the Milwaukee Police Department with “serious concerns.”
According to the complaint, the boy’s sister, who is 26 years old, told detectives that he has always had “rage issues” and “five different imaginary people that talk to him.”
The boy had previously received a “concerning diagnosis” from a therapist, and the mother had installed cameras inside the house to keep an eye on him, claims the complaint. “Someone had unplugged these cameras two weeks before the woman was killed,” the witness said.
The boy logged into their mother’s Amazon account the morning after she passed away and ordered an Oculus virtual reality headset, the sister also revealed to detectives.
The boy allegedly picked up their puppy by the tail and “swung the puppy around until it whined and howled in pain,” according to the complaint. The incident allegedly took place when the boy was four years old.
Detectives were informed by an aunt that the boy never sobbed or displayed regret after his mother passed away. The 10-year-old allegedly told his aunt that he was “actually aiming the gun at his mother,” according to the complaint. The aunt claimed that the son apologized for killing his mother the day after her passing and then inquired as to the status of his Amazon order.
The boy allegedly confessed to retrieving the weapon during a second interview with detectives, saying he was upset with her for waking him up early and for not allowing him to order something from Amazon. When he attempted to shoot the wall to “scare her,” he claimed that his mother crossed in front of him. Additionally, according to the complaint, he acknowledged getting his mother’s keys to the gun lock box the previous evening.
The family was described as typical by neighbors. Steve Frisch has spent more than 20 years living close to 87th and Hemlock. The 10-year-arrest old’s by the police last week shook up his otherwise peaceful neighborhood.
Frisch said, “I’m still surprised when there’s a shooting because it’s usually a quiet neighborhood. “(The family) just inquired about my well-being and other such things.”
“Anytime there is a crime in the city, whether it’s by a 10-year-old or someone much older, it’s concerning,” Mayor Johnson said. “I don’t want people getting hurt. As for this case, I’m just learning about it. I got the details this morning.”
The 10-year-old has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 60 years in prison.
He had his initial appearance in court on Friday and a cash bond of $50,000 was set. He will appear in court for a status hearing on Dec. 7.