10-year-old charged with murder in shooting of infant niece in St. Louis

Homicide — St. Louis, MO — reported 2026-07-02

SUMMARY

A 10-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his 7-month-old niece.

KEY FACTS

• Incident type: Homicide
• Location: St. Louis, MO
• Date reported: 2026-07-02
• Suspect: male, age 10
• Victim(s): 1 (7-month-old infant)
• Status: arrest/charge

REPORTED DETAILS

• The incident occurred on July 2, 2026, in St. Louis, MO.
• A 10-year-old boy allegedly picked up a firearm stored under a mattress and shot the 7-month-old infant in the head.
• The infant was rushed to an area hospital but died of her injuries despite life-saving care.
• The 10-year-old suspect was taken into custody by detectives investigating the incident.
• The infant's father, Ca'Marion Pawnell, a 19-year-old man, was also arrested and charged with second-degree murder and multiple child endangerment charges.