Boy Stabbed 12-Year-Old Friend: Deputies

Sheriff's responded to homicide call near Lakeside Monday afternoon

A 12-year-old boy in unincorporated El Cajon died in the hospital after his 10-year-old friend allegedly stabbed him to death, according to San Diego Sheriff's Deputies.

Deputies responded to a homicide call just after 1:30 p.m. Monday in the 12500 block of Royal Road. A homicide unit also arrived to the scene.

Deputies believe the 10-year-old may have stabbed the other boy with a knife in the victim's driveway. The two were friends and lived down the street from each other, neighbors said.  

The 12-year-old boy died in Children's Hospital as a result of the stabbing, according to Lt. Larry Nesbit of the San Diego Sheriff's Department.

The 10-year-old boy had issues with anger management and mental illness, according to one neighbor.

None of the residents in the neighborhood expected this kind of attack from the boy, who was generally very well-liked. They said he was a good kid, and adopted by a wonderful mother.

"He was a great kid, always full of energy, really very very funny actually," said Ashley Waldrop, a neighbor.

Another neighbor said the boy was taking medication for his mental illness, but never imposed any physical harm to anyone.

"He had just gotten on to a new medication and they were starting to tweak it to see what dosage he needed," said Brian Richeson, a friend and neighbor.

The boy has not been charged yet, and detectives are unsure at this point whether they will press any charges.

"California law does not recognize that a child can commit a crime, so there are many different factors that come into play in this case," Nesbit said. "That's why we are a liason with child welfare services as well as personnel with the county District Attorney's office."

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