A Wickliffe, Ohio, 11-year-old girl has been charged with murder in the death of 2-month-old Zuri Whitehead after police say she beat the toddler to death.
According to the Daily Mail, the unnamed suspect asked her mother, who is a friend of Zuri's mom, if the infant could spend the night at their house. Figuring she could use a break, Zuri's mother, Trina Whitehead, who has three other children, then left her baby Thursday in the care of her best friend's family.
The Daily Mail reports that the 11-year-old, her 39-year-old mother and Zuri were on the couch until about 3 a.m., when the mother fell asleep. Around 3:30 a.m., the mother was awakened by her daughter holding the now-bloody child.
According to police, Zuri "suffered massive brain injuries, severe damage to the liver, spleen and kidneys, and extensive internal bleeding," the Daily Mail reports.
Zuri was rushed to the hospital, where tests confirmed that she had died from severe blows to the head.
The 11-year-old was being held in a juvenile detention center and appeared at the Lake County Juvenile Court Monday. "She has had a not guilty plea entered on her behalf for the murder charge," according to the Daily Mail.
Wickliffe's police chief, Randy Ice, told reporters gathered at a news conference that the suspect has shown little remorse, adding, "I'm not sure she appreciated the gravity of what she did."
Read more at the Daily Mail.