9-year-old girl beat 4-year-old brother to death with broomstick, Alabama officials say
A South Alabama girl accused of bludgeoning her 4-year-old brother with a broom has been charged in connection with his death, according to multiple news outlets.
The 9-year-old was charged with assault on Monday, Feb. 7, after the boy died at their Mobile home last week, WPMI reported, citing the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office.
In recently released court documents, officials allege the girl “did willfully torture, willfully abuse and cruelly beat” her little brother before his death, according to the news station. It’s unclear if she will face additional charges.
McClatchy News reached out to the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, Feb. 8, and was awaiting a response.
Mobile police had previously charged the boy’s aunt and caretaker with aggravated child abuse in the Feb. 3 incident, according to a news release. Officers were called to the home around 8 a.m. on reports of a medical emergency.
Inside, they found the 4-year-old unresponsive and pronounced him dead at the scene, police said.
News of the tragedy shocked neighbors who said they never would’ve suspected anything was wrong.
Court documents also mentioned bruises and past injuries on the boy’s body, pointing to “long-term abuse” in the home, WALA reported.
The aunt was arrested and booked into jail, where she remained as of Tuesday, Feb. 8, online records show. Her bond was set at $150,000, according to WKRG.
No further details have been released, and authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 9:42 AM.