Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Mother, 29, beat son to death because he didn't do his chores, police say

The woman is being held in the King County Jail on a $3 million bail

Katie Hawkinson
in Washington D.C.
Saturday 01 February 2025 20:59 GMT
Comments
The Seattle skyline. A 29-year-old woman was arrested by Seattle police for allegedly beating her 14-year-old son to death
The Seattle skyline. A 29-year-old woman was arrested by Seattle police for allegedly beating her 14-year-old son to death (Getty Images for Rock'n'Roll Mar)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A 29-year-old Seattle woman is in custody after police say she killed her 14-year-old son after beating him with an extension cord because he failed to complete his chores.

Officials found the boy while responding Thursday afternoon to a call from the Beacon Hill neighborhood, according to a statement from the Seattle Police Department. The woman now in custody told the 911 dispatcher she was spanking her son with an extension cord and it went too far, according to The Seattle Times.

After Seattle police entered the woman’s home, they found her 14-year-old son unresponsive. Their identities are currently unclear. Emergency crews took the boy to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition, and he later died of his injuries, police said.

As police arrested her, the woman allegedly told them she struck her son repeatedly with the cord because he didn’t do his chores. Police say she then revealed she pushed her son against the wall, causing him to hit his head, fall and go limp, the Times reports.

The woman was previously convicted of third-degree assault in South Carolina seven years ago, according to the Times. Her sister also accused her of threatening her in 2021, but the case out of nearby Pierce County was ultimately dismissed.

“She is a very unfit mother and needs anger management,” the woman’s sister said in a statement to the court, per the Times. “She is always yelling and screaming at her kids. They eat only (2 or 3) times per day.”

She is being held in King County Jail on a $3 million bond after appearing in front of a judge Friday. She’ll be formally charged next week, the Times reports.

The Independent has contacted the Seattle Police Department for more information.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in