12-Year-Old Charged with Murder After Smothering 8-Year-Old Cousin Over iPhone

In a tragic incident in Humboldt, Tennessee, a 12-year-old girl has been charged with murder for allegedly smothering her 8-year-old cousin during an argument over an iPhone. The incident, which occurred on July 15, was captured on a security camera in the bedroom the two girls shared.

The footage reportedly shows the older girl using bedding to suffocate her younger cousin while she slept in the top bunk. After the fatal act, the older girl is said to have cleaned the scene and repositioned the victim’s body.

According to authorities, the argument began after the girls, who had been visiting their grandmother, disagreed over the phone. The accused has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

Gibson District Attorney Frederick Agee described the act as “one of the most disturbing violent acts” his office has ever prosecuted. He also stated that he will seek to have the girl tried as an adult to ensure a more severe sentence, whether through incarceration or supervised conditions.