The grieving father of a 7-year-old girl from Michigan, who was allegedly stabbed to death by her 13-year-old sister while being babysat last month, is speaking out about his daughter.
In an interview with local TV station WXYZ, Jason Lilburn fondly remembered his daughter, Jessie Jane Lilburn, as a vibrant child who loved outdoor activities and spending time with family.
“Little JJ, Jessie Jane. She was just a ray of sunshine, always wanting to be outside, always riding her bike,” Lilburn recalled.
The 7-year-old succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital on September 28, after police responded to reports of a stabbing at a residence in Taylor, Michigan, around 1 p.m.
According to FOX 2 Detroit, the girls’ parents left their daughters at home around 11:15 a.m. that day, with the older sister babysitting.
Detective Zachary DiGiacomo indicated that the incident occurred following an argument over a note the 7-year-old had left in the bathroom asking people to “generally flush the toilet.”
The detective alleged that the older sister took the note, leading the younger girl to knock over a trash can in the kitchen in an attempt to retrieve it.
Approximately 30 minutes later, the 13-year-old went to her room, returned with a “butcher-style knife,” and stabbed her sister in the bathroom, DiGiacomo claimed.
The older sister reportedly then fetched a larger knife and continued to stab her sibling.
In total, the victim was stabbed more than ten times, according to the detective.
Lilburn stated that the sisters had typical sibling disagreements and had no history of violence, describing the incident as “totally unexpected.”
“It really pulls at my heart that [Jessie’s] not with us anymore and that there’s so much love for her,” Lilburn said, referring to the memorial set up in front of his home for his late daughter.
The 13-year-old, who allegedly called 911 after the stabbing, is now facing charges of first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, and first-degree child abuse, as stated in a news release from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
Due to “other facts discovered in the case,” Prosecutor Kym Worthy added the adult designation to the charges, although the teen’s name is not being released because of her age.
Being charged with an adult designation does not mean a minor is charged as an adult. However, if convicted, a judge can choose to sentence the suspect as a juvenile, as an adult, or a combination of both. If the minor is sentenced as such and fails to show improvement, the judge may impose an adult sentence later on.
