New Orleans teen charged with killing 5-year-old stepsister while practicing 'WWE' wrestling
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – A 13-year-old boy in suburban New Orleans has been charged with killing his 5-year-old stepsister by practicing his wrestling moves on her.
The girl, Viloude Louis, was pronounced dead Sunday at a New Orleans hospital. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office officialssaid in a news release that an autopsy showed the girl suffered severe blunt force trauma to the body, multiple internal injuries, including broken ribs, lacerations to the liver and internal bleeding.
Sheriff’s deputies were called out Sunday afternoon to an apartment complex in Terrytown, where they found the little girl lying unresponsive on a bathroom floor. The boy initially told investigators that he called 911 after the girl complained of a stomachache and stopped breathing.
A detective investigating Louis' death subsequently learned that the girl had been left with her stepbrother while her mother went to a nearby store. The boy told the investigator that he started to wrestle with the little girl, practicing his “WWE” moves on her.
Those moves included picking her up and slamming her on a bed several times, as well as jumping on her and striking her with his elbow. He continued to “slam, punch and elbow” the girl even after she told him she was hurting, the news release said.
He stopped when his stepmother called to check on the children.
“Detective (Matt) Vasquez noted the 13-year-old was smiling and appeared to enjoy talking about the wrestling moves and physical abuse…that he was conducting on the victim,” the news release stated.
The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, has been charged with second-degree murder.
WWE issued a statement to AL.comshortly after noon today:
"The death of Viloude Louis is a tragedy, and our condolences go out to her family," the statement said. "WWE urges restraint in reporting this unfortunate incident as if it were the result of a WWE wrestling move. As in similar cases, criminal intent to harm and a lack of parental supervision have been the factors resulting in a tragic death.
"Authorities have already charged the accused with second degree murder and determined that this was not an accidental death due to a wrestling move."
A second statement issued about an hour later reiterated those views, but added that it is "illogical to conclude that the repeated, brutal and ultimately fatal beating of a 5-year-old little girl by a teenager could be confused with imitation of WWE action seen on TV."
This is not the first time, however, that a child has caused the death of another while wrestling.
The girl, Viloude Louis, was pronounced dead Sunday at a New Orleans hospital. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office officialssaid in a news release that an autopsy showed the girl suffered severe blunt force trauma to the body, multiple internal injuries, including broken ribs, lacerations to the liver and internal bleeding.
Sheriff’s deputies were called out Sunday afternoon to an apartment complex in Terrytown, where they found the little girl lying unresponsive on a bathroom floor. The boy initially told investigators that he called 911 after the girl complained of a stomachache and stopped breathing.
A detective investigating Louis' death subsequently learned that the girl had been left with her stepbrother while her mother went to a nearby store. The boy told the investigator that he started to wrestle with the little girl, practicing his “WWE” moves on her.
Those moves included picking her up and slamming her on a bed several times, as well as jumping on her and striking her with his elbow. He continued to “slam, punch and elbow” the girl even after she told him she was hurting, the news release said.
He stopped when his stepmother called to check on the children.
“Detective (Matt) Vasquez noted the 13-year-old was smiling and appeared to enjoy talking about the wrestling moves and physical abuse…that he was conducting on the victim,” the news release stated.
The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, has been charged with second-degree murder.
WWE issued a statement to AL.comshortly after noon today:
"The death of Viloude Louis is a tragedy, and our condolences go out to her family," the statement said. "WWE urges restraint in reporting this unfortunate incident as if it were the result of a WWE wrestling move. As in similar cases, criminal intent to harm and a lack of parental supervision have been the factors resulting in a tragic death.
"Authorities have already charged the accused with second degree murder and determined that this was not an accidental death due to a wrestling move."
A second statement issued about an hour later reiterated those views, but added that it is "illogical to conclude that the repeated, brutal and ultimately fatal beating of a 5-year-old little girl by a teenager could be confused with imitation of WWE action seen on TV."
This is not the first time, however, that a child has caused the death of another while wrestling.
In Florida in 1999, a then-12-year-oldLionel Tate stomped to death Tiffany Eunick, 6, while imitating wrestlers he'd watched on TV. According to the New York Times, Tate was convicted of first-degree murder in 2001 and sentenced to life in prison.
He was the youngest person ever given a life sentence in the U.S.
Tate's life sentence was later voided by an appeals court because he had not been mentally evaluated before his trial. He was freed in 2004 after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and being placed on a year of house arrest and 10 years of probation.
Tate was arrested for robbing a pizza deliveryman in Pembroke Park, Fla., during his probation and sent back to prison. He was sentenced to serve 30 years.
He was the youngest person ever given a life sentence in the U.S.
Tate's life sentence was later voided by an appeals court because he had not been mentally evaluated before his trial. He was freed in 2004 after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and being placed on a year of house arrest and 10 years of probation.
Tate was arrested for robbing a pizza deliveryman in Pembroke Park, Fla., during his probation and sent back to prison. He was sentenced to serve 30 years.
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