A 10-year-old Wisconsin boy accused of killing his mother because she didn’t buy him a virtual reality headset appeared in court for the first time Wednesday.
During the court hearing, the boy sat quietly with his head bowed as his lawyer asked that his bond be lowered from $50,000 to $100, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Attorney Angela Cunningham reportedly argued that the boy does not have a source of income, but rather about $100 in a piggy bank.
“We’ve talked to him about his ability to post anything. He told us about piggy banks with savings he had from gifts, from birthday presents. And rummaging through couch cushions that he’s been able to save,” Cunningham said.
WISCONSIN BOY, 10, CHARGED AS AN ADULT IN ALLEGED MURDER OF MOTHER OVER AMAZON PURCHASE
The Milwaukee County Courthouse in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jane Carroll refused to reduce the $50,000 amount and also placed travel restrictions on the boy if he posts bail.
Prosecutor Paul Dedinsky asked Carroll to demand that he be released into the custody of a relative if he is released, but that restriction was not imposed.
Since the child has been charged as an adult, Cunningham argued that it would be “unheard of” to require a defendant in adult court to remain in the custody of a released family member prior to trial, the Associated Press reported.
The judge appeared to agree with Cunningham and required that the boy be monitored by GPS if he leaves the juvenile detention center, where he is being held.
WISCONSIN MAN ENTERS HIS IN-LAWS HOUSE, STABS THEM MULTIPLE TIMES ‘FOR REVENGE’: AUTHORITIES
A 10-year-old boy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is being charged as an adult after he was accused of killing his mother because she had not allowed him to order a virtual reality headset.
(WITI FOX6 Milwaukee)
The 10-year-old boy, who family members say has had significant psychological problems, faces alternate charges of first-degree intentional homicide or first-degree reckless homicide. His lawyers asked the court to drop a second reckless homicide charge, calling it redundant, according to the AP.
The charges stem from a November 21 incident in which the boy allegedly shot his mother in the face after she failed to buy him an Oculus virtual reality headset on Amazon. After his death, he reportedly accessed the account and bought the game.
Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headsets are displayed during a media preview of the new Meta Store on May 4, 2022 in Burlingame, California.
(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The judge ordered that no shackles or any other type of restraint be placed on him. He also prohibited the media from publishing any personal information about the boy, including photographs and his home address.
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The boy will return to court on January 19 for his next hearing.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
