Baby K to face adult trial for Prince George's County school bus shooting attempt
Criminal defense attorney breaks down Baby K's juvenile waiver hearing
Baby K, the teenager accused of trying to kill a student on a Prince George's County school bus will be tried as an adult. FOX 5's Nana-Sentuo Bonsu spoke to a criminal defense attorney about the three-day juvenile waiver hearing.
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - A decision has been made in the case of Baby K - the teenager accused of trying to kill a student on a Prince George's County school bus.
The judge decided Thursday that 16-year-old Kaeden Holland's case will stay where it is, and he will be tried as an adult.
This hearing took three days, and the main question was whether his case should be sent to the juvenile courts.
Baby K's attorney argued that even though he's accused of violent, horrifying crimes — he is still just a child, an impulsive child who makes poor decisions.
The decision proves the judge feels otherwise.
Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy says this is a serious offense, and she's not surprised by the judge's decision to keep Baby K in the adult system.
"A young boy could’ve died on a school bus," she said. "We don’t want to have to prosecute these kids. We don’t want to have to ask that they be in adult court, but we also have to keep our community safe."
This case has been a flashpoint for rising juvenile crime in the DMV, even making national headlines.
Baby K is the nickname for the teen who investigators say climbed aboard Prince George's County school bus last May, put a gun to a student's head, and pulled the trigger three times.
That gun jammed.
Several other teens have been indicted for their role in the attack.
Like the others, Baby K is being charged with attempted murder.
READ MORE: Hero school bus driver recounts murder attempt Baby K is accused of
He could face up to life in prison if convicted in the adult system.
In a separate case, the 16-year-old was charged with murder for the killing of a woman in D.C.
Baby K, 2 other teens indicted on murder charges in attempted school bus shooting
Baby K and two other teens were indicted on sixteen charges including first and second-degree attempted murder, assault, and more Tuesday inside a Prince George’s County courtroom.
On Thursday, a physician from a treatment-oriented correctional program in Maryland took the stand, with Baby K's attorney asking him about frontal lobe development - specifically for a 15-year-old.
His attorney also spoke about the trauma Baby K has experienced: being shot when he was 14, having no father in his life, and having a friend murdered.
He said the teenager's IQ is lower than 85 percent of adolescents his age, and he was diagnosed with several mental illnesses and learning disabilities.
Meanwhile, the state argued that Baby K has been involved in issues since first grade and all he did in school through ninth grade was fight.
Since his capture last May, prosecutors say he's been the aggressor in three fights at the adult facility where he's being held.
Baby K's trial is expected to start on March 18. If convicted, he faces life in prison with possible parole.