California boy, 5, stabs his TWIN to death with a kitchen knife while play fighting – as cops say the child will not be charged over the ‘horrific’ accident
- The unknown boy stabbed his brother with a kitchen knife after a fight
- Due to California law, the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office is not filing charges against the boy
- The Public Prosecution Service has begun investigating whether the children were under proper supervision or were in inherent danger in their family
A five-year-old California boy who stabbed his twin brother with a small kitchen knife while they were playing has not been charged.
Emergency services rushed to the boys’ family home in Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, on November 15 around 4pm to find a child with a knife wound.
The five-year-old was rushed to hospital but did not survive his injuries.
After an investigation, the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office found that there was no evidence of negligence or criminal activity and that the child was unaware of the wrongfulness of his actions.
Children under the age of 14 are “incapable” of committing a crime unless “at the time they committed the offense for which they are charged, they knew it was unlawful,” the report said. Criminal Code 26.
California juvenile court also states that it only handles delinquency cases involving children between the ages of 12 and 17.
The Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office concluded that there was no evidence of negligence or criminal activity and that the child was unaware of the wrongfulness of his actions
Emergency services rushed to the boys’ family home in Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, on November 15 around 4pm to find a child with a knife wound.
Former prosecutor Steven Clark said prosecutors have launched an investigation into whether the children were properly supervised or in inherent danger.
“The fact that the sheriff’s office came out so quickly and ruled that this was not a negligent situation suggests that this family acted appropriately, that this was just a one-time, horrible, tragic event,” Clark told the station.
In a Facebook statement, the Bureau wrote: βOn November 15, 2023, just before 4:00 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Block 200 of Tucker Road in unincorporated Scotts Valley for a five-year-old stabbing victim.
‘When officers arrived, they heard that two five-year-old twins were fighting, as siblings sometimes do.
‘Tragically, during the incident, one of the five-year-olds took a small kitchen knife and stabbed his twin brother with it.’
In a Facebook statement, the Bureau wrote: “On November 15, 2023, just before 4:00 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the Block 200 of Tucker Road in unincorporated Scotts Valley for a five-year-old stabbing victim.”
Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Ashley Keehn for Scott’s Valley (pictured) said the incident was just a tragic situation
Although significant efforts were made to save the boy’s life, he was unsuccessful.
‘Despite lifesaving efforts by our emergency services, first responders and hospital staff, the 5-year-old died in hospital.
βWe are heartbroken for the families of these two young children and share in their grief.β
Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Ashley Keehn said the incident was just a tragic situation and there was no negligence.
‘Through investigation and witness interviews, there was no negligence. This just ended up being a very tragic, horrific situation,β Keehn said ABC7.
The devastated parents have asked for privacy and have not released any information about the family.