A 13-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree m+rder following the d+ath of a 14-year-old girl, Makayla Pennywell, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
According to police, the teenager sustained a g+nshot wound inside a home on Sunday and later passed away. Authorities said the suspect, initially believed to be her brother, was later identified as the son of one of her mother’s friends and not biologically related to her.
The boy has been taken to a juvenile detention centre as investigators continue to determine what led to the incident. Officials have not disclosed a motive.
Makayla’s family said she was preparing to start high school and was looking forward to going back-to-school shopping before the tragic incident. They described her as a kind and cheerful girl who loved basketball, cooking and spending time with her siblings.
Authorities said prosecutors will decide whether the 13-year-old will face trial as an adult.