Child Murderers

Trying to understand why people would want to commit murder is difficult enough, but when you learn about children who commit murder, how can anyone comprehend this?

Whilst it is considered rare that children commit murder, there have been a surprising number of cases reported over the years.  Below are just a few examples.

Jesse Pomeroy – Massachusetts

Before being convicted of murder at the age of 14 years old, Jesse Pomeroy  had already attacked and tortured 7 young boys between the years of 1872 and 1873.  He was arrested and charged with assault, but released back to the customer of his mother.  In 1874, torture turned to murder when 10 year old Katie Curran went missing.  The following month the body of 4 year old Horace Millen was found and Jesse Pomeroy was arrested again.   The police found the body of Katie Curran in Jesse’s mothers shop basement and shortly afterward,  he then confessed to murder.  He was initially sentenced to death, but the Governor refused to sign the death warrant due to his young age, and as a result, he was instead sentenced to a life imprisonment in solitary confinement.

Pauline Parker & Juliet Hulme  – Christchurch, New Zealand

Pauline Parker,16 years old & Juliet Hulme 15 years old,  were close friends.  Extremely close.  So much so, that their parents were concerned that they were having a lesbian relationship.   Concerned about the closeness of the girls, their parents tried to put some distance between them.  Juliet’s parents had divorced and her father decided that Juliet would be sent to live with relatives in South Africa.  Pauline was distraught and pleaded with her mother, Honora Rieper, that she be allowed to move to South Africa too – but was told no.  That sealed the Honora’s fate. In June 1954, whilst on a walk through Victoria Park, Pauline and Juliet bludgeoned Honora to death with a brick, wrapped in an old stocking. 

The girls were convinced that with Honora out of the way, they would be allowed to stay together.  Instead they were convicted of murder and again “detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.”  Both girls were released 5 years later, on the condition that they never contact one another again.

The story of the girls was immortalised in the 1994 film Heavenly Creatures.

Mary Flora Bell – Newcastle Upon Tyne, England

In 1968, one day before her 11th birthday, Mary Bell strangled 4 year old Martin Brown.  Less than 2 months later, she then was involved in the strangulation of 3 year old Brian Howe.  In addition to strangling the young boy, she carved her initial into his stomach, and mutilated his genitals.  Somehow, Mary was only charged with manslaughter for both killings and was sentenced to be “detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.”  Mary was released from prison in 1980 after only serving 12 years.

Jon Venables & Robert Thompson  – Kirkby, England

February 1993, 10 year olds Jon Venables & Robert Thompson abducted and murdered 2 year old James Bulger.  Playing truant from school, the two boys loitered around the Strand Shopping Centre until they found their target, James.  The 2 year old toddler, had wandered away from his mother, and the two boys took the opportunity to lure him away.  Jon & Robert made the youngster walk over 2 miles to a railway lane where they beat and kicked him to death.  They then left the body on the railway track to try and hide their crime.  It did not work.  The boys were arrested and convicted of murder, to be detained for a minimum of 8 years.  They were both released in 2001.

My personal opinion regarding children who murder, is that if they are old enough to commit the crime, they should be old enough to be sentenced as adults – and if necessary, sentenced to death.  Until such a time as this decision is made, I sadly believe that there is no deterrent to prevent repeat occurrences.