MILWAUKEE — A 10-year-old boy who fatally shot his 44-year-old mother last week in Milwaukee is charged with first-degree homicide as an adult.
According to a criminal complaint, the boy was angry at his mother for waking him up early and not letting him have something on Amazon.
RELATED: 10-year-old shoots, kills woman near 87th Street and Hemlock
The fatal shooting occurred near 87th Street and Hemlock around 7 a.m. on Monday, November 21. Police initially reported the boy was playing with the gun when it discharged, striking his mother. The woman, identified as Quiana Mann, was shot in the head and died from her injuries.
According to the criminal complaint, when the boy was first questioned, he said he was twirling his gun around his finger and it “accidentally went off.” After killing his mother, the boy woke up his sister who then found their mother dead and called 911.
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Due to his age, the boy was allowed to stay with his family. However, the next day, the family contacted Milwaukee police with “serious concerns.”
The complaint says the boy’s 26-year-old sister told detectives he had had “rage issues” his entire life and “five different imaginary people talking to him.”
A therapist previously gave the boy a “concerning diagnosis” and the mother placed cameras inside the home to monitor him, according to the complaint. Two weeks before the woman’s murder, “someone had unplugged those cameras.”
The sister also told detectives that she learned that the day after their mother died, the boy had logged into their mother’s Amazon account and ordered an Oculus virtual reality headset.
The complaint states that a family member also alleged that the boy would grab their puppy by the tail and “swing him until he whined and screamed in pain.” This happened when the boy would have been four years old.
An aunt told detectives the boy never cried or showed remorse after his mother’s death. The complaint alleges the 10-year-old told his aunt that he was “actually pointing the gun at his mother.” The day after his mother died, the aunt said he apologized for killing his mother and then asked her if her Amazon package had arrived.
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During a second interview with detectives, the boy allegedly admitted to getting the gun because he was angry with her for waking him up early and not letting him buy something on Amazon. He told detectives his mother was walking in front of him when he tried to shoot at the wall to “scare her.” The complaint also says he admitted to getting his mother’s keys to the gun safe the night before.
Neighbors described the family as average. Steve Frisch has lived near 87th and Hemlock for more than two decades. His quiet neighborhood was shaken last week when police arrested the 10-year-old.
“I’m always surprised when there’s a shooting nearby, (it’s) usually (a) quiet neighborhood,” Frisch said. “(The family) just asked me how I was and stuff like that.”
On Wednesday morning, TMJ4 News asked Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson about the charges against the 10-year-old.
“Anytime there is a crime in the city, whether it’s by a 10-year-old child or someone much older, it’s concerning,” Mayor Johnson said. “I don’t want people to get hurt. As for this matter, I just learned about it. I received the details this morning.”
The 10-year-old was charged with first-degree reckless homicide. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison.
He made his first court appearance Friday and a $50,000 cash bond was set. He will appear in court for a status hearing on December 7.
TMJ4 News is choosing not to name the suspect at this time due to his age. Read our “Moving Forward” policy here. In Wisconsin, you can be billed as an adult if you are 17 and older. Charging someone under 17 is rare – and a 10-year-old is virtually unheard of.
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