8-Year-Old Birmingham Boy Charged with Murdering Toddler
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - An 8-year-old boy was charged with the beating death of a Birmingham toddler who police say was left in his care. The young girl’s mother is being charged with manslaughter of the toddler because police said she left her child to go party at a nightclub.
AL.com reported that Kelci Devine Lewis was just 17 months old when she was found in her crib unresponsive on Oct. 12. She was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead.
Police said that Kelci was left in the care of an 8-year-old boy, whose name will not be released due to his age, along with five other children ranging in age from 2 to 7 years old. Family members told the AL.com that Kelci’s mother, Katerra Lewis, 26, was staying with the family while she waited on approval for Section 8 housing.
"It is believed that while the mother and friend were at the club, the 8-year-old viciously attacked the 1-year-old because the 1-year-old would not stop crying,'' Edwards told AL.com. “The 1-year-old suffered from severe head trauma as well as major internal organ damage with ultimately led to her death."
Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper called the toddler’s death the most heart-breaking investigation he has seen in his 30-year career.
Katerra Lewis was released Monday on a $15,000 bond.
The 8-year-old boy remains in the custody of the Department of Human Resources.