A 12-year-old girl in Humboldt, Tennessee is charged with first-degree murder after allegedly suffocating her eight-year-old cousin, Demeria Hollingsworth, on July 15, 2024, while she slept. The incident, captured on home security footage, has left the community in shock and led to calls for the preteen to be tried as an adult.
The Humboldt Police Department received a tip about the incident two days after Demeria was found unresponsive in her bed. Investigators reviewed the footage, which showed the 12-year-old using bedding to suffocate Demeria on the top bunk of their shared bed. The video shows the older girl using her full body weight to press the bedding over Demeria’s face, causing the younger girl to struggle before suffocating.
District Attorney General Frederick Agee described the crime as “one of the most disturbing violent acts” his office has prosecuted. “No words can describe it,” Agee said. “It’s unimaginable.” He explained that the footage also showed the suspect attempting to clean up her cousin and repositioning her body to make it appear as if she was just sleeping under the covers.
The young suspect, who turns 13 soon, has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. She is in a juvenile detention facility in Rutherford County, three hours away from Humboldt. DA Agee intends to petition the Juvenile Court Judge to transfer the case to adult court, allowing for a longer sentence.
The motive behind the act remains unclear, but family members mentioned that the girls had argued over an iPhone before the incident. Both girls were visiting their grandmother in Humboldt at the time. Demeria was from Nashville, while her cousin was visiting from South Carolina. The girls’ grandmother expressed disbelief, noting that they were inseparable.
A memorial for Demeria has been set up in front of her grandmother’s home. The display includes balloons in her favorite colors—pink, purple, and pale blue—along with her cherished stuffed animals and bottles of nail polish she loved. Notes written by loved ones add to the poignant tribute.
“We’re asking everyone to pray for the family and our officers,” Agee stated. “This is a very intense situation. It’s not something that typically happens here.”
The investigation is ongoing, and the Humboldt Police Department is continuing to gather evidence. The preteen suspect appeared in court in Trenton on Friday afternoon, July 19. Agee’s office is pushing for the case to be moved to Circuit Court, extending the jurisdiction beyond the juvenile system’s limit of age 19.
Demeria’s mother, Rayana Smith, shared her heartbreak with local news: “The last time I saw my daughter, she was smiling, giving me kisses, and saying she’d see me when it was time to come home. She’s never coming back.”
The family of Demeria Hollingsworth has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover her funeral expenses and support her grieving mother. As of the latest update, the campaign has raised over $14,000. The community’s generosity provides much-needed assistance to Demeria’s family during this challenging time.