Community shocked after boy, 4, is allegedly murdered by cousin

A 14-year-old girl woke up in the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center Sunday morning after allegedly murdering her cousin. 

Leon Thomas III, 4, was stabbed to death at his grandparents’ townhouse in the Beechwood Gardens Apartments Saturday night.

Within minutes, the boy’s older cousin was found in the 2200 block of Ritter Avenue with blood covering her hands and clothes, said police.

Neighbors of an eastside housing community are asking themselves what would have driven the 14-year-old girl to allegedly stab her young cousin to death.

 “We looked at her and had eye contact and it was really strange because we didn’t know anything that had happened but you could just tell by looking at her that she was lost, that she was in shock or something,” said neighbor Sheri Cooper.

Other children in the neighborhood told Fox59 that the girl had threatened other playmates with knives before and they were afraid of her.

“Well, she used to play with kids and she would run around with a knife and about to stab them and stuff, but she always be playing with kids but she was crazy and stuff,” said 14-year-old Sissy Amos. “She always wanted to fight people.”

Neighbors said the girl was often spotted taking care of the 4-year-old boy.

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office may ask a judge to determine if the child needs to be tried as an adult.