5th Grade Girls Accused of Plotting Classmate’s Murder and Staging Suicide
In an alarming case out of Surprise, Arizona, four fifth-grade girls are accused of plotting to murder a classmate and make it look like a suicide.
According to a police report obtained by Arizona Family, the girls, ages 10 and 11, planned to lure a fellow student into a school bathroom, stab him in the stomach, and leave a fake suicide note to cover up the crime.
Each girl was allegedly assigned a specific role in the plan. One was supposed to bring the knife to school. Another was to carry out the stabbing. A third would act as a lookout, while the fourth was tasked with writing the suicide note to make the death appear self-inflicted.
Investigators say the scheme was discussed and developed during lunch and recess at Legacy Traditional School last October.
The plan was foiled when other students overheard the girls discussing it in detail and alerted school administrators. Authorities believe the motive may have stemmed from a breakup between the affected boy and at least one of the girls involved.
When questioned by police, three of the girls reportedly showed remorse for their actions. The fourth, however, laughed and offered excuses. All four were arrested and charged with threatening and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. They were suspended from school and faced expulsion.
A clinical therapist interviewed by local media said that the girls’ young age and still-developing brains may have made it difficult for them to fully understand the seriousness of what they were planning.
Police have declined to provide further details, citing the children’s ages and the sensitive nature of the case. Still, the incident has raised urgent questions about youth mental health, peer dynamics, and the need for proactive intervention in schools.
