Story perspectives

Missouri 10-Year-Old Charged with Murder, Remains Juvenile

7/2/2026

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10-Year-Old Charged

Missouri law prohibits adult prosecution for anyone under 12, keeping the 10-year-old in juvenile court.
A 10-year-old was charged with first-degree murder for June 26, 2026 death of 7-month-old niece Kiyomi Parker in St. Louis.
He was placed in Missouri Children’s Division custody, undergoing psychiatric evaluation at hospital.
Joel Currier said court values compassion and family while Bill Prince called murder charge surprising.

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10-Year-Old Charged

Police say 19-year-old Ca’Marion Pawnell kept a loaded firearm beneath a mattress, which prosecutors say helped cause the infant’s death.
A 10-year-old boy was charged with first-degree murder for shooting 7-month-old Kiyomi Parker in St. Louis, Missouri, and remains in custody.
Investigators said the boy knew the gun’s location, removed it earlier, and confessed to firing.
Pawnell was arrested on charges, admitted weapon was his, and is held without bond.

History

Historical Context

After Supreme Court’s 2005 Roper v. Simmons ruling—5-4, which ended capital punishment for offenders under 18 and voided statutes in 19 states, Court’s decisions prompted Missouri to revise juvenile murder sentences, allowing two inmates to be paroled in 2024. Now a Missouri Children’s Division judge is trying a 10-year-old, spurring lawmakers to reconsider juvenile prosecution policies.

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10-Year-Old Charged

Missouri law prohibits adult prosecution for anyone under 12, keeping the 10-year-old in juvenile court.
A 10-year-old was charged with first-degree murder for June 26, 2026 death of 7-month-old niece Kiyomi Parker in St. Louis.
He was placed in Missouri Children’s Division custody, undergoing psychiatric evaluation at hospital.
Joel Currier said court values compassion and family while Bill Prince called murder charge surprising.

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