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KANSAS CITY, KAN -
A Kansas City, Kan., girl will stand trial as an adult for allegedly shooting and killing a 16-year-old boy when she was 13.
Keaire Brown is suspected of shooting Scott Sappington Jr. in the head at point-blank range in an attempted carjacking last July 23 as he drove away from dropping off his younger siblings at his grandmother's house. He was on his way to work when he was shot to death in the suspected carjacking attempt.
Scott Sappington Sr. said when he found out the person accused of killing his son was a 13-year-old girl, he couldn't believe it.
Sappington said he questioned what the world is coming to when a 13-year-old has access to a gun and kills someone.
"It's hard to even begin to know how to feel about it. I can't hate a child," said Sappington Sr.
He said he's pleased with the court's decision to try Brown as an adult, but he said he feels sorry for her too because it appears a lot of people failed her.
"It was pretty devastating to hear the things she was surrounded by in her lifetime, situations. It seems that there was a lack of caring for this child...lack of attention," said Sappington Sr.
Psychologist Marilyn Metzl said it's very unusual for a 13-year-old to kill and while people want to believe that rehabilitation is an option, she said it's not possible for everyone.
"There are some people who haven't been taught from their earliest years that there is a moral code, that there are consequences," said Dr. Metzl.
"It's hard to even begin to understand how a 13-year-old would have those types of thoughts or even have access to a weapon, let alone just to try to take someone's car," said Sappington Sr.
Sappington would have been a senior at Sumner Academy where he played football and was a member of the debate and forensic team. His father said he wanted to go to college and study computer science.
While in juvenile detention after her arrest, Brown received 57 infractions against her. Brown's defense attorney said she suffers from mental illness and needs years of help from experts.
Now 14, Brown is charged with felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery. Wyandotte County District Judge Dan Cahill denied a defense motion that Brown would be best rehabilitated in eight years of juvenile detention.
Keaire Brown is suspected of shooting Scott Sappington Jr. in the head at point-blank range in an attempted carjacking last July 23 as he drove away from dropping off his younger siblings at his grandmother's house. He was on his way to work when he was shot to death in the suspected carjacking attempt.
Scott Sappington Sr. said when he found out the person accused of killing his son was a 13-year-old girl, he couldn't believe it.
Sappington said he questioned what the world is coming to when a 13-year-old has access to a gun and kills someone.
"It's hard to even begin to know how to feel about it. I can't hate a child," said Sappington Sr.
He said he's pleased with the court's decision to try Brown as an adult, but he said he feels sorry for her too because it appears a lot of people failed her.
"It was pretty devastating to hear the things she was surrounded by in her lifetime, situations. It seems that there was a lack of caring for this child...lack of attention," said Sappington Sr.
Psychologist Marilyn Metzl said it's very unusual for a 13-year-old to kill and while people want to believe that rehabilitation is an option, she said it's not possible for everyone.
"There are some people who haven't been taught from their earliest years that there is a moral code, that there are consequences," said Dr. Metzl.
"It's hard to even begin to understand how a 13-year-old would have those types of thoughts or even have access to a weapon, let alone just to try to take someone's car," said Sappington Sr.
Sappington would have been a senior at Sumner Academy where he played football and was a member of the debate and forensic team. His father said he wanted to go to college and study computer science.
While in juvenile detention after her arrest, Brown received 57 infractions against her. Brown's defense attorney said she suffers from mental illness and needs years of help from experts.
Now 14, Brown is charged with felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery. Wyandotte County District Judge Dan Cahill denied a defense motion that Brown would be best rehabilitated in eight years of juvenile detention.
