Memphis mother accused of fatally stabbing daughter, 10
Lawrencia Reed has been charged with one count of first-degree murder in connection with the death of her daughter.
A Memphis woman has been charged in the fatal stabbing of her 10-year-old daughter and the attempted murder of another relative.
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Lawrencia Reed, 29, has been charged with three counts of criminal attempt first-degree murder and one count of first-degree murder after the domestic violence incident which occurred on April 30. The victims were her 10-year-old daughter, Kamari Reed, and Lawrencia’s 18-year-old sister, Akeria Reed, according to the Memphis Police Department.
A two-year-old on the scene was not injured.
The 10-year-old girl was taken to Le Bonheur where she died of her injuries. The 18-year-old was taken to Regional One in critical condition.
Law enforcement provided the information via Twitter and updated it once details were confirmed.
According to WMC Action News, family members gathered near the crime scene on Sunday to mourn their loss at a prayer vigil.
“This is a tragic loss,” Tykitta Franklin, Kamari’s aunt, told WREG News. She said her niece was stabbed 13 times and the family has no idea why.
“I’ve never seen her in a bad place. I loved that girl with everything in me. That was my shadow. If you see Kamari, you see me,”
The outlet reported she is not only the child’s aunt but the older sister of the 18-year-old victim.
“I am exhausted, mentally,” Franklin said. “I’m sad. I am angry because I don’t know why this happened. Like I said, my niece was my everything.”
She said, “It’s just so hard for me to be able to say that I was the last one trying to help her stay alive. She just, I just felt her stop breathing.”
Franklin told the outlet that Lawrencia Reed has been admitted to a mental hospital for evaluation. Akeria Reed has been released from the hospital and is recovering from her injuries.
Reporter Parker King, was on-scene during the vigil and balloon release, shared some photos via Twitter.
Read More: Mom accused of killing infant daughter, stabbing child’s father
A GoFundMe has been established to raise money for a burial. As of Tuesday, the campaign has exceeded the $5,000 goal, by $350. The digital fundraiser was created by Akeria Reed on behalf of April Burks.
“As we all know my baby niece was stabbed to death. She was so innocent and had her whole life ahead of her,” the page said. “If you met her you’d love her. She is the sweetest ever. This is such a tremendous loss for my family & I at this devastating time anything would help me & my family at this time to [bury] her. Also please keep my family and I in your prayers.”
Violent crime in the Memphis area has grown in 2021. According to WREG Memphis, in early April, the Memphis police department confirmed they have handled 63 murders so far this year, compared to 46 murders at the same time in 2020. Four of those victims were under the age of 18. The 2020 statistics also showed an increase in violent crime from the year before, with a 24% increase in homicides compared to 2019.
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