Children Who Kill

Children Who Became Killers

You can't keep up with current news without hearing of someone committing murder. As horrible as this is, it's even more horrific when the killer turns out to be a child. Here's a look at 10 of the youngest children in the United States who committed murder.

Retta McCabe

Dubbed by the media as a “Jekyll and Hyde,” four-year-old Retta McCabe was quite the beauty with an enchanting smile. However, her personality would switch back and forth from being angelic to what local citizens referred to as "a demonic child."

In 1897, Retta was busy playing when all of a sudden she stopped, grabbed her infant brother, and hurled him to the ground. She then proceeded to kick and pound on him until she was physically removed. When he died a week later, all she could do was laugh.

While initially placed with New York's Humane Society (In its early days, the Humane Society was a safe haven for the protection of kids), she was eventually returned to her parents. One day, Retta disappeared and was never heard from again.

Carl Newton Mahan

In 1929, two boys in Paintsville, Kentucky, went on a quest to find scrap metal for extra money. Six-year-old Carl Newton Mahan was successful in finding metal, but his eight-year-old friend, Cecil Van Hoose, wasn't so fortunate, so he hit Carl and took the younger boy's piece away.

Carl was infuriated. He ran home, grabbed his father's 12-gauge shotgun, and shot Cecil. The boy died 10 minutes later. Carl was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in reform school. His parents were allowed to take him home after posting $500 bail. Carl grew up and got married. No further incidents of violence are known, but at the age of 35, he committed suicide.

Lizzie Cook

In 1899, six-year-old Lizzie Cook was left alone with her two-year-old brother while her mother went to the store. The baby cried and cried for his mother to the point that Lizzie couldn't take it anymore.

She grabbed a brand from the burning fireplace and set his clothing on fire. When Lizzie's mother returned home, she could hear the sounds of her baby screaming, but it was too late to help him.

The little boy died, and it is unknown what happened to Lizzie.

James Arcene

The year was 1872. Ten-year-old James Arcene was traveling with his friend William Parchmeal near Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, when they came upon Henry Feigel, a laborer.

James decided to rob Feigel. They first shot him, then finished him off by thrashing him with a large stone. Their big reward for the murder? Twenty-five cents and a pair of boots.

Although authorities were suspicious of the two boys, it wasn't until 13 years later that enough evidence had been gathered in order to convict them of their crimes. Both men were executed by hanging for their childhood misdeeds.

Daughter of Michael Ziapasa

In 1906, the three-year-old daughter of Michael Ziapasa (the girl's first name is unknown) brutally attacked two-month-old Edward Schepech, a neighbor of the Ziapasas.

Using a butcher knife, she cut off his nose, stabbed him multiple times in the breast, and sliced his arm so severely that it was almost completely severed. The injuries were so bad that the infant died. It is not known what happened to Miss Ziapasa.

Virginia Hudson

On a fateful morning in 1887, Ann Tippins and Fannie Hudson, two mothers of Greenville County, South Carolina, left their children at home to attend a neighborhood celebration.

Tippins' children were five and one, while Hudson's three kids were seven, five, and three. Her oldest was named Virginia (although in some cases she is referred to as "Georgiana").

After the mothers left, Virginia brought Tippins' children over to her home. At some point, it seems that she went into a rage and violently attacked and killed Tippin's one-year-old son, Waverly.

After killing him, she stripped him naked and threw his body down a well. She then tried to murder his five-year-old brother, George, and although badly beaten, the older boy survived.

Virginia Hudson was found guilty of murder and placed in the local jail. It's not known what happened to her after that.

Carroll Cole

Carroll Cole claimed his first victim when he was only eight years old. He was out swimming at a yacht harbor with a group of boys when one of the boys kept teasing him about his first name. Once alone with the boy, Carroll drowned him.

Carroll was able to avoid suspicion, and the death was deemed accidental.

This was just the beginning of a crime spree that would last for years. He was responsible for numerous burglaries and assault charges, as well as murdering several women, many through strangulation. It is unknown how many victims he killed, but it appears there were at least 15 women who met their demise at his hands.

After his arrest and trial, Carroll was given the death sentence, and he was executed in 1985.

Christian Romero

The normally quiet city of St. Johns, Arizona, had its world rocked in 2008, when eight-year-old Christian Romero carried out a double homicide. The young boy murdered his father, Victor Romero, and his father's roommate, Tim Romans.

At first, police had no reason to even suspect Christian. However, as the questioning went on, it became apparent that the boy may have been responsible. By the time the interview was done, Christian had confessed to both killings.

He was to be placed into a foster home until the age of 18, then into a treatment center until he was 21. At this time, due to a gag order, no further information is available as to what happened to him.

Kyle Alwood

Kyle Alwood of Goodfield, Illinois, was nine years old in 2019 when he was charged with five counts of first degree murder after setting a deadly fire to his trailer at Timberline Mobile Home Park. The five victims, who all died of smoke inhalation, were all related to Kyle.

The boy stated that he started the fire in Wall's garage by setting a Frisbee on fire. This was not the first time he had set an object on fire, but the first time it became deadly.

Kyle was removed from his mother's custody and placed in a foster home, which happened to be his grandparents' home. According to his mother, he was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia before he started the fatal fire.

The court found Kyle unfit to stand trial, and his mother was issued a gag order, so there is no further information about the boy, except that it is unlikely he will ever serve jail time due to his age and his mental capacity.

Joseph Hall

When 10-year-old Joseph Hall of Riverside, California, took his father's .357 Magnum and shot him while he lay passed out drunk on the couch, the boy didn't think anything bad would happen to him. In fact, he even admitted to the killing to the police.

Joseph had watched an episode of a TV show where an abused boy had killed his father, and because of his circumstances and the fact that he told the truth, the boy in the story went free. This is what Joseph thought would happen to him after he pulled the trigger.

Unfortunately, he was wrong. The boy was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Jeff Hall. He was sentenced to 10 years in juvenile hall.

In conclusion..........

While children are supposed to be innocent, it's sad to see that some live in a different world where they feel justified in taking a life.

Sources and Further Reading:

Joseph Hall, who shot dead neo-Nazi father at age 10 is sentenced to 7 years in prison | Daily Mail

James Arcine & Cherokee Murderer Legends of America

9-year-old arraigned on murder charges in deadly Goodfield arson fire

Judge allows 47-minute interview to be seen at Kyle Alwood trial | CIProud.com

Unknown Gender History: Virginia (or, Georgiana) Hudson, 7-Year-Old Murderess – South Caro

Unknown Gender History: Lizzie Cook, 6-Year-Old-Murderess, Alabama, 1899

Sedalia Weekly Democrat (Sedalia, Mo.) 1912-1954 | Library of Congress

Caroll Cole: The serial killer you didn't know was born in Sioux City

The youngest murderer in US history to go to trial is from Kentucky - Finding Carl and Cecil - YouTu

The Youngest Convict (Johnson County, Ky) Kentucky Cop Stories

The Story of Retta McCabe: New York 4-Year-Old Jekyll & Hyde Deep Lore

History: Ziapasa Daughter, 3-Year-Old Murderess West Virginia, 1906