8-Year-Old Charged in Toddler’s Murder

Police said Tuesday an 8-year-old boy was charged with the murder of a toddler girl who was beaten to death in Birmingham, Alabama. The girl’s mother, 26-year-old Katerra Lewis, was also charged with manslaughter after authorities said she left her 1-year-old daughter, Kelci Devine Lewis, in the care of a group of children while she went to a nightclub. The girl was found unresponsive in her crib the morning of Oct. 12 and was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The toddler died from blunt force trauma to the head and internal injuries, Birmingham Police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards said. Edwards added police believe the 8-year-old “viciously attacked” the child because she wouldn’t stop crying. The unidentified boy remains in custody of the Department of Human Resources.