I think kids mature differently. I think some know by 7 what death is and what it means. I also think that at 7 a child knows that it is wrong to hit a baby, especially with a 2x4.
On the radio they said that the 7 year old kicked and pummeled the 7 month old as well as hit the baby with the 2x4. I think a 7 year old knows that it is wrong to hit and kick a baby. I think a 7 year old knows that hitting, kicking and being hit with a piece of wood is going to hurt. I also think the 7 year old must have realized that the hitting and kicking wasn't having enough effect, then went and got the 2x4. I think the 7 year old knew what they were doing.
Oh I'm sure a 7 yr old would understand that beating would cause injury and pain, but this kid is not right in the head. He MAY not have understood that beating someone would cause death...that's all I'm saying. We just don't know.
If a seven year old is doing this to a baby, it's time to examine why.
Sometimes it's a sign of severe child abuse early in his life.
Sometimes it's a sign of horrendous parenting.
Sometimes it's a sign of autism.
It might be a result of pre-natal cocaine exposure, which is a type of chemically induced birth defect.
From this news story we don't know any of the pertinants.
My thoughts exactly. He knew what he was doing, did it and when doing it with his body alone did not work, got a 2X4. This boy had a mission to complete. He completed it and now has the attention, no more baby sister to siphon it off. long as they are sole receivers of it.
This is where he lost the benefit of the doubt with me. I'm not saying what he did to that point is OK. But after he got the 2X4 he went from being a bad kid who didn't know his own strength to an evil kid who meant to do serious harm.