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Police: Teens 14, 17, charged as adults after plotting, attempting murder of parent
As the investigation unraveled, police say something sinister surfaced surrounding the teen girl inside the home in the 24000 block of Ravenna.
EASTPOINTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - In July Eastpointe police responded to a call of a home invasion and a suspected attempted murder.
As the investigation unraveled, police say something sinister surfaced surrounding the teen girl inside the home in the 24000 block of Ravenna. Police say she and her 17-year-old boyfriend hatched a murder plan for her mother in order to stay together.
"The minor daughter had met another minor on a social media app," said Eastpointe Chief Corey Haines. "They decided together that they were going to kill mom."
The girl's mother didn't know of her daughter's boyfriend, and decided to take away her daughter’s phone as punishment for having a number of issues at home, police said.
In the early morning hours of July 14, the girl left the door to her home open so her boyfriend could enter, in an effort to strangle the mother in her bed.
"He went into the mom’s bedroom and attempted to suffocate her with a body pillow on the bed," Haines said. "And then he started choking her."
The mom screamed and the teen's brother and grandmother intervened, telling 17-year-old to leave. He did - but left something behind.
"His shoes were left," Haines said. "And we believe he took them off to be quieter."
A knife from the victim’s house was also found in the street when the suspect fled.
The mom was transported to the hospital, but will survive her injuries. She told police that the girl was a "problem child" and had a criminal record.
And after nearly two months of investigating, Eastpointe police took the 14-year-old daughter and her 17-year-old boyfriend, into custody.
Both have been charged as adults by the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police say social media provided the key evidence from the 14-year-old's account.
The 17-year-old boy is facing a number of charges including conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree.
The 14-year-old is also facing charges, including solicitation of murder.
"The male received a $2.5 million bond, so I can't imagine that he is going anywhere, anytime soon," the chief said. "And the female was given a $1 million bond. So, they are both being held."
The names of the teens not being released because of their ages, while Haines says the investigation has shocked the police department.
"I don’t know that we’ve seen anything on this level from this age group," he said.
As the investigation continues police want to make this clear everything you do on social media leaves a footprint.
"Nothing is secret," Haines said. "Everything is able to be uncovered and found when using social media."