The Oklahoma mother of a girl who fatally stabbed her younger brother in January in a violent outburst has chosen to support her daughter.
April Lyda, the grieving mother, provided an update on the family’s situation this week. She expressed her love for her 12-year-old daughter, who remains unnamed in public reports, and acknowledged the girl’s progress during the six months she has been living with other family members.
Lyda acknowledged the need for both her and her daughter to undergo healing before considering living together again, emphasizing the importance of mental and emotional support for her daughter due to the potential long-term effects of the incident.
Lyda shared that her children had always shared a loving relationship until the brutal attack. She emphasized that neither had intentionally harmed the other before, as it was not in their nature.
Lyda believes her daughter may have been having a “manic episode” when she attacked her younger brother Zander at their home on January 5. She said her daughter’s behavior had changed drastically right before the murder.
She mentioned that her daughter had been put back on medication that she had been off for over a year shortly before the incident. The medication was discontinued when her daughter started to self-harm, but the damage had already been done by then.
The mother’s statement came after authorities released edited body cam footage from the night of the deadly attack. The footage showed the 12-year-old girl expressing deep remorse and feeling overwhelmed by dark influences. The younger brother Zander was pronounced dead in the early morning hours.
Tulsa District Attorney’s Office declined to disclose details about the case or the charges the girl may face due to her age.