Tennessee girl, 12, allegedly smothers 8-year-old cousin after fight over iPhone, victim's mom in ‘unbearable’ pain

In a horrifying incident, a 12-year-old girl in Tennessee allegedly smothered her 8-year-old cousin as the baby slept. The crime was reportedly triggered by an argument over an iPhone, a relative said.

The county prosecutor revealed that the murder, which took place inside the bedroom they shared on July 15 in Humboldt, was caught on security camera. The victim’s mother, Rayana Smith, identified her child as Demeria Hollingsworth, according to WREG.

The security camera recording reportedly showed the older child suffocating her cousin, who was sleeping in the top bunk, Gibson District Attorney Frederick Agee’s statement said. Agee said that after Hollingsworth died, “the juvenile cleaned up the victim and repositioned her body.”

The suspect has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. “I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted,” Agee said in the statement, adding that he plans to petition a judge to prosecute the suspect in adult court which would allow for “a lengthier sentence, whether that will be through incarceration or supervision with court-ordered conditions.”

‘The pain I’m feeling is unbearable’

Smith has now set up a GoFundMe to raise money that would be used to fund a funeral for her daughter. “I just lost my baby, the most beautiful child of God on Monday, July 15th. The pain I’m feeling is unbearable. I have to now live life without her in this crazy world. But I have another child who's depending on me, and I have to be strong for my baby because she lost her big sister also. I never imagined anything like this would happen and now find myself trying to fund a funeral,” Smith wrote on the page.

Tracy Boyd, who claimed to be Smith’s cousin, spoke out about the incident in a Facebook post. “How tf does a 12 year old muster up the energy, capability, knowledge, audacity, and courage to smother an 8 year old child in their sleep— then go back and reposition the body!? I’m trying my hardest not to turn this City upside down for Rayana,” Boyd wrote in part.

“I’ve had Rayana on my mind ever since because I know how much she love her girls. It was literally just them 3 kickin’ it all day everyday. The moment she let her free to visit and hang the most unbelievable happens…. We not done with this,” Boud added.

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