MILWAUKEE – A 10-year-old boy who killed and shot his 44-year-old mother last week in Milwaukee is charged with first-degree murder as an adult.
According to a criminal complaint, the boy was angry with his mother for waking him up early and not letting him have something on Amazon.
RELATED: 10-year-old boy shoots, kills woman near 87th and Hemlock
The fatal shooting happened near 87th and Hemlock around 7 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21. Police initially reported that the boy was playing with the gun when it went off, hitting 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 interviewed he said he was twirling the gun on his finger and it “accidentally went off.” After killing his mother, the boy woke up his sister who later found her mother dead and called 911.
TMJ4
Because of his age, the boy was able to stay with his family. However, the next day, the family contacted the Milwaukee Police Department with “serious concerns.”
The complaint says the boy’s 26-year-old sister told detectives he has had “anger issues” his whole life and “five different imaginary people who talk to him.”
A therapist previously gave the boy a “reference diagnosis” and the mother had placed cameras inside the house to monitor him, according to the complaint. Two weeks before the woman’s murder, “someone had disconnected those cameras.”
The sister also told detectives she learned that the day after his mother’s death, the boy logged into his mother’s Amazon account and ordered an Oculus virtual reality headset.
The complaint says a family member also alleged the boy would grab their puppy by the tail and “spin her around until she was moaning and howling in pain.” This happened when the child was allegedly four years old.
An aunt told detectives the boy never cried or showed remorse after his mother’s death. The complaint alleges that the 10-year-old boy told his aunt that he was “actually pointing the gun at his mother.” The day after her mother died, the aunt said she apologized for killing her mother and then asked if the package from Amazon arrived.
TMJ4
In a second interview with detectives, the boy allegedly admitted he got the gun back because he was mad at her for waking him up early and not letting him get something from Amazon. He told detectives his mother was walking in front of him when he tried to shoot the wall to “scare” her. The complaint also says he admitted to receiving the keys to the gun lock box from his mother the night before.
Neighbors described the family as average. Steve Frisch has lived near 87th and Hemlock for more than two decades. Their quiet neighborhood was rocked last week when police arrested the 10-year-old boy.
“Still shocked when there’s a shooting around, (it’s) usually (a) quiet neighborhood,” Frisch said. “(The family) asked me how I’m doing and things like that.”
On Wednesday morning, TMJ4 News asked Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson about the charges the 10-year-old is facing.
“Anytime there’s 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 to get hurt. As for this case, I’m just learning about it. I got the details this morning.”
The 10-year-old boy has been charged with reckless homicide in the first degree. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 60 years in prison.
He had his initial court appearance Friday and bail was set at $50,000 cash. He is due in court for a status hearing on Dec. 7.
TMJ4 News is choosing not to name the suspect at this time due to his age. Read our “Getting Forward” policy here. In Wisconsin, you can be charged as an adult if you are 17 or older. Charging someone under 17 is rare, and 10 is practically unheard of.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip