Every year there is a horrible story that reaches the mainstream about children who kill their parents. Not the mini-me’s who stomp up the stairs when grounded and yell: ‘You’re ruining my life, mom, I wish you’d go away.”
No, the kind of children who actually take a gun or knife or poison to the throats of the people who created them.
This kind of thing is so shocking when it happens that it inevitably becomes a news head-line on television or becomes a film – see We Need To Talk About Kevin. This month, Top TV’s Investigation Discovery Channel, popularly known as ID, brings us Killer Kids.
The show premiered this week and profiles some of the most gruesome acts committed by some of the most innocent looking kids. I mean, there are kids who just look rotten.
Like the girl from The Exorcist. But, in all fairness, it’s hard to not look unkempt and deranged when there is a demon inside you forcing you to make 360 degree turns with your head. Or so I imagine. Anyway, this documentary series is based on real police files in America.
Here, children as young as 11 as well as teenagers are profiled and their stories are told. What is it that drives a child to attempt to take the life of the person who gave life to them?
It doesn’t just begin and end with the murder of adults. There are certain killer kids who target babies as their victims.
Now a little envy from an older sibling is understandable when an infant is brought into the family, but what possesses one to harm or kill their brother or sister?
These kinds of questions are explored and if you’re faint-hearted it would be best that you not watch.
This is especially so because some of the scenarios, like the teens who prey on people in groups or the kids who are part of occults, aren’t all rainbows and butterflies.
Neither is the episode that will focus on a type of killing that America – and by extension, the world because of that cold we catch when Uncle Sam sneezes – is all too familiar with: school killings. The likes of the tragedy at Columbine High School in 1999 and more are all put under the microscope.
• Killer Kids is on ID (Top TV Channel 303) every Tuesday at 9.50pm