16-year-old arrested in fatal stabbing of his mother in Springfield
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his mother to death at her home in the Twin Lakes subdivision on the city's north side.
The stabbing happened in a home in the 3000 block of Shadow Fax Drive shortly around midnight Saturday.
Springfield Police were alerted by a 911 call.
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Deputy Chief Sara Pickford, reached Sunday, said that the teen was located at the scene by police officers.
The teen was transported to police headquarters for questioning and was ultimately arrested for first-degree murder, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery and unlawful use of a weapon.
He then was taken to a juvenile detention facility outside of Springfield.
The Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center on South Dirksen Parkway has been closed since the Sept. 30 shooting of a teenager by a Springfield Police officer. The teen was armed with a weapon as he was trying to leave the facility.
The victim in Saturday's incident, a 51-year-old woman, had multiple stab wounds, Pickford said.
She was taken to Springfield Memorial Hospital for treatment, but did not survive and was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m., Pickford said.
Neither were named by Springfield Police. Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said that an autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.
Pickford could not immediately confirm that the teen lived there or if there was anyone else present during the stabbing.
Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser called it "a tragic case."
His office is still reviewing the case for formal charges.
Under Illinois law, once a person reaches the age of 16, there is an automatic transfer to adult court for certain charges, including first-degree murder, though defense counsel could challenge the move.
In the April 24 shooting death of Southeast High School student Keyon Day, one of the persons charged was 16 and was transferred to adult court.
The state's attorney's office also has the discretion to charge someone younger than 16 in adult court if it petitions the juvenile court and the petition is granted by the judge. That also happened in the Day case to a then-15-year-old suspect.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; [email protected]; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield teenager arrested, accused of stabbing his mother to death
