Edmond Psychologist Reviews Trend In Homicides Committed By Teenagers

Prosecutors charge two Edmond teenagers in the disappearance of 16-year-old Annie Hill.

Thursday, October 16th 2014, 7:32 pm

By: News 9

Edmond Psychologist Reviews Trend In Homicides Committed By Teenagers

Prosecutors charge two Edmond teenagers in the disappearance of 16-year-old Annie Hill.

The Oklahoma County District Attorney's office charged 16-year-old Chadd Raymond with first-degree murder for choking Hill to death. His alleged accomplice, 17-year-old Chloe Thomas, is charged with accessory to murder for helping dispose of Hill's body.

Thomas confessed to the crime last week. The pair were arrested over the weekend and are being held in the Oklahoma County Jail.

This is just one of several high-profile homicides in Oklahoma, recently, that were allegedly committed by teenagers.

A 19-year-old University of Oklahoma student, just this week, allegedly confessed to killing his parents and sister in their Duncan home for money.

Several months before, the city of Duncan made headlines, globally, when three teenagers allegedly shot and killed Christopher Lane, of Australia, while he was out for a jog.

Investigators said one of the teenagers initially admitted they killed out of boredom.

The violence seems to know no boundaries.

A teenager in Weatherford, Jaray Wilson, was missing more than a year before three of her classmates were accused in connection with her disappearance.

One of the three suspects allegedly confessed Wilson was killed in an argument over drugs.

As these types of cases stack up, the deeds described in each one seem to shock our sensibilities.

It appears to be a disturbing trend, and one that psychologists are reviewing.

“Some of these young people seem not to have any remorse or regret, and they appear to be very coldblooded,” Dr. Stewart Beasley said.

As a psychologist in Edmond, Dr. Beasley has worked with troubled youth. He said he is concerned that several societal influences have made it hard for some youth to comprehend that there are real-world consequences for their actions.

“Kids have a tendency to not see reality as you or I would see it,” Beasley said partly it's because of video games, movies and youth functioning in their own sub world. "As a result of that, sometimes they have a tendency to not even think about what they are doing, and so they carry out these crimes,” he added.

Beasley believes the acts are impulsive, even in situations where teenagers allegedly plotted the murders.

“I think many of them are lost and not sure of what they want to do with their life,” Beasley said.

He said when children are left to their own devices, they have a greater chance of making mistakes.

Additionally, he's noticed drug addictions and lavish lifestyles to be the most common factors but said it's never and open and shut case.

“I think you can do interventions with them," said Beasley. "I think it helps to talk to someone.”

Dr. Beasley reminds parents not all verbal threats made by a child are cause for panic. Only if paired with setting fires, torturing animals or other destructive behavior should you seek medical help.