Why would a child murder his parents?
Last week, an 8-year-old shot and killed his father and a family friend. No motive has been established, but he has admitted to the shootings in a police video.
Although shocking, this isn't the first time a child has murdered his parents:
• This summer, a 12-year-old boy killed his mother in their Douglas, Ariz., home after having a dispute over household chores. The boy's name isn't released yet, but he will possibly face first-degree murder charges.
• The Menendez Brothers plotted and carried out the murder of their parents in the '80s, after agreeing their father was abusive to their mother. They reasoned if they killed their father, they'd have to kill their mother so she wouldn't turn them in.
• Jacob Brighton, 16, killed his parents because he felt like a "disappointment." He told police he shot his dad three times in the back, then shot his mother while she ran away. Brighton faces a possible sentence of life in prison if convicted.
• Matthew Hackney, a 17-year-old who was sent home from school for being drunk, shot his parents and grandmother to death, then died in a car crash. Matthew, who had never been in trouble before, was reportedly scared he'd get disciplined for failing a drug test.
• Sarah Johnson, 18, shot her parents to death when she was 16 years old in their Idaho home. She was reportedly angry with her parents for disapproving of her boyfriend.
What is happening to children?
"Murdering one's parents is a very specific type of rage," says Jane Greer, Ph.D., a family therapist in New York City. "You're literally cutting off your lifeline, the people who brought you into this world. It usually stems from feelings of retaliation, resentment, and animosity."
"Sometimes, one incident can cause a kid to snap but there's usually a build-up of events," she says. "Kids or teens say 'I hate you, I wish you were dead!' but to act on their fantasies, you're then dealing with someone who has no impulse control."
What's more, she adds, oftentimes after killing one parent, the teen panics and tries to cover their tracks. "It's common for someone to murder the rest of their family after killing one member," she says. "The thinking is, 'If I kill everyone, there will be no one to turn me in.'"
Greer says children and teens haven't fully developed the ability to reign in bad behavior. But that's not to say every parent should worry--in fact, most shouldn't because these cases are rare. Being sullen, snappy, and disconnected from the family are characteristics of every kid in America. So how do you know when you really have a problem?
"Most parents believe their kid would never harm them, but most victims also thought that, too," Greer says. "Parents believe their children are loyal to them, but by encouraging your kid to be open about his social life, he'll be less likely to behave secretively and vulnerable to outside influences."
"This issue hasn't been studied enough to form a profile for a child or teen killer, but we do know that kids who disconnect with their parents, have no impulse control and anger issues are more susceptible to killing," she says. "Trust your gut and get your kid counseling if you're concerned."
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