12-Year-Old Girl Accused Of Killing Little Brother; Tulsa Child Crisis Unit Takes Over Investigation

The Tulsa Police Child Crisis Unit is investigating after a 12-year-old girl was taken into custody Friday morning, accused of stabbing and killing her 9-year-old brother. Tulsa Police spoke with News On 6 about how these kinds of cases can be different from a homicide involving adults.

Friday, January 6th 2023, 4:15 pm

By: Cal Day

TULSA, Okla. -

Tulsa Police say a 12-year-old girl is in custody after she stabbed her nine-year-old brother multiple times at an apartment complex near 61st and Riverside.

The Tulsa Police Child Crisis Unit is handling the case since it involves two minors.

Officers were called to the complex around midnight and say the 12-year-old suspect was taken into custody. Investigators say the victim was taken to a hospital where he died around 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning. Police say a lot of information cannot be released yet since the case involves juveniles. Investigators say a motive is unclear, and are trying to figure out why the 12-year-old grabbed a knife and stabbed her brother.

Previous Story: 12-Year-Old In Custody, Accused Of Stabbing 9-Year-Old Brother

“There’s nothing normal about one human being killing another human being,” said Capt. Richard Meulenberg, Tulsa Police. “It’s not normal more so to have a 12-year-old killing a nine-year-old.”

Authorities say a parent was sleeping upstairs during the stabbing and is now having to experience the unthinkable. The young suspect is in custody at the Family Center for Juvenile Justice. Tulsa Police’s Child Crisis Unit is handling the case. Meulenberg says these investigators are equipped to work with young people.

“As a 12-year-old, you’re at different places in your mental growth and your mental well-being and your mental health,” said Meulenberg. “They are trained different as opposed to interviewing a 35-year-old, for instance.”

Police say the suspect is too young to qualify as a youthful offender, which can occur when someone under the age of 18 is charged as an adult for a serious crime. Since the investigation involves two minors, he says a lot of decisions will be made behind closed doors.

“The Crisis Unit and officers are going to put the case together, give all the information over to the District Attorney’s office and they’ll make the determination of how to proceed,” said Meulenberg.

Resources are being made available for first responders who had to respond to the scene